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What does a Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary really buy you in Georgia?
Georgia is 4.2% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Georgia's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 95.8, meaning prices are 4.2% lower the national average. A Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earning $50,290 in Georgia has the equivalent purchasing power of $52,494 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Georgia's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $44,270 | $46,210 | +$1,940 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $47,880 | $49,979 | +$2,099 |
| Median (P50) | $50,290 | $52,494 | +$2,204 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $57,690 | $60,219 | +$2,529 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $61,990 | $64,707 | +$2,717 |
A Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Georgia earns $50,290 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $52,494 in an average-cost state. This makes Georgia one of the best value states for this occupation.
With an RPP of 95.8, Georgia is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.
After applying Georgia's RPP, the $50,290 median salary translates to $52,495 in real terms — a 4.4% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining.
Georgia ranks #46 of 49 — bottom quartile for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining real purchasing power. Relocation, employer negotiation, or remote roles at higher-paying markets tend to generate the biggest ROI.
Where does Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Georgia ranks #46 out of 49 states for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining take-home pay in Georgia after taxes →
A Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Georgia earns a median salary of $50,290 per year. After adjusting for Georgia's cost of living (RPP=95.8), the real purchasing power is $52,494 — a +4.4% difference.
Georgia's cost of living is 4.2% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Georgia is 95.8 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Georgia: $50,290 x (100 / 95.8) = $52,494. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Georgia enjoys 4.4% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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