Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. North Dakota has the highest headline BLS median for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining at $90,380, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 168.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

Best States to Be a Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $90,380 BLS median worth $101,008 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 168.2).

Which US states are best for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining after cost of living and tax?

For a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $90,380 BLS median becomes $101,008 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 168.2). Delaware ranks last ($45,060, index 75.0). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 49 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

North Dakota ranks #1 of 49 states for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining. Index 100 = the average state; 168.2 means pay goes 68.2% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

168.2

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	North Dakota	$90,380	$525	89.0	$101,008	168.2
2	Wyoming	$78,230	—	92.7	$84,399	140.5
3	New Mexico	$76,350	$2,474	92.2	$80,115	133.4
4	Illinois	$80,600	$3,849	100.0	$76,784	127.8
5	Alaska	$74,680	—	102.4	$72,959	121.5
6	New Jersey	$80,310	$2,926	108.8	$71,122	118.4
7	Massachusetts	$76,070	$3,584	105.8	$68,541	114.1
8	Montana	$65,850	$2,747	94.6	$66,673	111.0
9	West Virginia	$61,330	$2,024	89.5	$66,266	110.3
10	Iowa	$59,390	$2,217	87.8	$65,146	108.5
11	California	$74,500	$2,828	110.7	$64,733	107.8
12	Indiana	$61,910	$1,827	93.3	$64,377	107.2
13	Nevada	$63,810	—	100.0	$63,823	106.3
14	Nebraska	$58,370	$1,939	90.1	$62,629	104.3
15	Ohio	$58,240	$819	92.8	$61,893	103.0
16	Connecticut	$65,710	$2,039	103.6	$61,453	102.3
17	Missouri	$56,760	$1,787	90.8	$60,532	100.8
18	North Carolina	$58,620	$1,949	94.3	$60,079	100.0
19	Washington	$64,270	—	107.0	$60,058	100.0
20	Wisconsin	$58,280	$1,937	94.1	$59,879	99.7
21	Vermont	$59,790	$1,584	98.0	$59,419	98.9
22	Minnesota	$61,260	$2,677	98.6	$59,402	98.9
23	Louisiana	$53,510	$1,230	88.2	$59,269	98.7
24	Idaho	$58,670	$2,221	95.5	$59,113	98.4
25	Michigan	$59,040	$2,263	96.2	$59,010	98.2
26	Arizona	$60,310	$1,033	100.7	$58,879	98.0
27	Colorado	$61,020	$2,025	103.1	$57,248	95.3
28	Rhode Island	$59,590	$1,635	102.3	$56,663	94.3
29	Virginia	$59,480	$2,620	101.1	$56,239	93.6
30	New Hampshire	$58,540	—	104.2	$56,199	93.6
31	Maine	$55,890	$2,158	97.0	$55,365	92.2
32	Oregon	$61,280	$4,558	103.4	$54,878	91.4
33	South Dakota	$48,250	—	88.6	$54,467	90.7
34	South Carolina	$52,580	$1,653	93.7	$54,323	90.4
35	Mississippi	$48,490	$1,328	87.0	$54,238	90.3
36	Tennessee	$49,500	—	91.9	$53,880	89.7
37	Maryland	$57,610	$2,404	105.0	$52,598	87.6
38	Utah	$54,330	$2,472	98.9	$52,454	87.3
39	Kansas	$48,950	$1,932	90.1	$52,203	86.9
40	Pennsylvania	$52,350	$1,607	97.6	$52,006	86.6
41	Oklahoma	$47,100	$1,700	87.8	$51,684	86.1
42	New York	$58,120	$2,592	107.9	$51,453	85.7
43	Alabama	$47,770	$2,124	88.8	$51,390	85.6
44	Arkansas	$46,170	$1,592	86.9	$51,276	85.4
45	Kentucky	$47,780	$1,780	90.2	$51,021	84.9
46	Texas	$49,000	—	97.1	$50,486	84.1
47	Florida	$51,990	—	103.4	$50,274	83.7
48	Georgia	$50,290	$2,064	96.3	$50,083	83.4
49	Delaware	$46,900	$1,926	99.8	$45,060	75.0

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 49 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In North Dakota, a $90,380 salary is worth about $99,057 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $2,260 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $88,121 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $102,025, a $2,968 gain over North Dakota.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$102,025	88.6
2	Arkansas	$99,906	86.9
3	Louisiana	$99,390	88.2
4	Mississippi	$99,368	87.0
5	Iowa	$99,070	87.8
6	North Dakota	$99,057	89.0
7	Tennessee	$98,378	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$98,001	87.8
9	Wyoming	$97,507	92.7
10	Alabama	$96,665	88.8
11	Kentucky	$96,235	90.2
12	West Virginia	$96,119	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining: a BLS median of $90,380 is worth $101,008 after the 2025 state income tax ($525) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 168.2 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. North Dakota has the highest headline BLS median for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining at $90,380, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 49 on real pay (index 168.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary go least far?: Delaware ranks last of 49 states for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining: a $46,900 BLS median is worth only $45,060 after tax and cost of living (index 75.0). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.