Occupation salary profile

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

SOC 47-5023 BLS OEWS May 2025

Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

National median · BLS
$60,190
▲ +0.99% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$62,830
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
19,450
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$44,460
25th$49,900
Median (50th)$60,190
75th$72,450
90th — top pay$83,800

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

BLS projects employment of earth drillers, except oil and gas to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
19,500 → 20,200
+700 jobs
Projected change
+3.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
1,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Plus less than 5 years experience
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operations Monitoring4.0
  • Operation and Control3.9
  • Critical Thinking3.3
  • Equipment Maintenance3.3
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Active Listening3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Coordination3.0
  • Equipment Selection3.0
  • Quality Control Analysis3.0
Top knowledge areas
  • Mechanical3.5
  • Administration and Management3.3
  • Transportation3.3
  • Public Safety and Security3.3
  • Design3.1
  • Mathematics3.0
  • Production and Processing2.9
  • Law and Government2.8
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordGlobal positioning system GPS software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What earth drillers, except oil and gas do

  • Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
  • Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
  • Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
  • Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
  • Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks.
  • Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
  • Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
  • Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
Also called
Blast Hole DrillerDrill OperatorDrillerWell DrillerDiamond DrillerHard Rock Drill OperatorHighwall Drill OperatorRock Drill OperatorUnderground Drill OperatorWater Well Driller
More job titles for this occupation (54)
Auger OperatorBlast DrillerBoring Machine OperatorChurn Drill OperatorChurn DrillerConstruction DrillerConstruction Well Drill OperatorCore DrillerDebris MonitorDeep Well ContractorDirectional Drill OperatorDirectional DrillerDrill HandDrill Rig OperatorDrill RunnerDrill TechnicianDrilling AssistantDrilling Machine OperatorDrilling Machine RunnerEarth Auger OperatorEarth Boring Machine OperatorElectric Drill OperatorEnvironmental DrillerEnvironmental SamplerFoundation Drill OperatorGeotechnical Operating EngineerGeothermal and Well Drilling OperatorGeothermal Operating EngineerGround Water ContractorHole Digger OperatorHorizontal Directional Drill OperatorHorizontal Drill OperatorHorizontal Earth Boring Machine OperatorHorizontal MachinistHydraulic Rock Drill OperatorJumperMachine DrillerPost Hole DiggerPost Hole Digging Machine OperatorRaise DrillerShot Core Drill OperatorSoil SamplerStoperTest BorerTest DrillerTunneling Machine OperatorWagon Drill OperatorWagon DrillerWagonerWash DrillerWater BlasterWell DiggerWell Drill OperatorWell Testing Operator

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.