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How to become a continuous mining machine operator
Construction trades · SOC 47-5041
$61,810US median pay, 2025
+3.2%Projected growth, 2025–35
1,400Openings per year
On the jobUsual way in
How you get in
Most people are hired and trained on the job, so school is optional. A program can still help you stand out.
No formal educational credential (a program is optional for this job)
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Work as a continuous mining machine operator
Programs that lead to this job
These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this
occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding
credentials in each.
How long does it take to become a continuous mining machine operator?
Typically no schooling after high school, then a few months to a year of training on the job. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.
How much do continuous mining machine operators make?
The US median is $61,810 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.
Do you need a degree to become a continuous mining machine operator?
No. Most people are hired and trained on the job; a program is optional.
Where can you train to become a continuous mining machine operator?
51 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →
Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work,
your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education
requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.
Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment
Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018).
School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.