Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Continuous Mining Machine Operator salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$67,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$7,000
10.2% of base
Total target cash
$74,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$4,00050th$7,00075th$11,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role
Continuous Mining Machine Operator is a professional role within the function in the Construction and Extraction job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.
Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.
Check the stability of roof and rib support systems before mining face areas.
Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars.
Drive machines into position at working faces.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlEquipment MaintenanceTroubleshootingCritical ThinkingRepairing
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Continuous Mining Machine Operator pay by experience level
Entry level$48,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$53,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$64,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$80,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$89,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+0.6%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,600
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Continuous Mining Machine Operator salary by industry
Mining (except Oil and Gas)
12,560 workers
$68,000
Metal Ore Mining
5,970 workers
$69,000
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying
4,380 workers
$63,000
Coal Mining
2,200 workers
$75,000
Support Activities for Mining
670 workers
$64,000
Support Activities for Mining
670 workers
$64,000
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
90 workers
$65,000
Administrative and Support Services$58,500
Employment Services$58,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.
Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.
Check the stability of roof and rib support systems before mining face areas.
Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars.
Drive machines into position at working faces.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Continuous Mining Machine Operator pays 4% above the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).
Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction
Need Continuous Mining Machine Operator pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
