Money · 1 of 5
What underground machine operators make
Median
$74,500
Bottom tenth
$52,030
Top tenth
$87,730
The national median is $74,500 a year. The bottom tenth earn $52,030 or less and the top tenth $87,730 or more (2025 federal wage survey). The federal survey counts you under a long title, Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining, which covers shuttle car drivers, loader operators and hoist operators. Roof bolters (median $78,540) and continuous mining machine operators (median $61,810) are counted separately.