Occupation salary profile

Rock Splitters, Quarry

SOC 47-5051 BLS OEWS May 2025

Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.

National median · BLS
$48,740
▲ +2.7% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$51,500
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
3,320
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Rock Splitters, Quarry

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

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$37,340
25th$42,670
Median (50th)$48,740
75th$60,030
90th — top pay$67,710

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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

Job outlook for Rock Splitters, Quarry

BLS projects employment of rock splitters, quarry to grow 5.8% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 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
3,500 → 3,700
+200 jobs
Projected change
+5.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
5.4% of workers (2025)
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 no formal education →

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

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Rock Splitters, Quarry

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
  • Operation and Control3.3
  • Operations Monitoring3.1
  • Active Listening3.0
  • Monitoring2.9
  • Complex Problem Solving2.8
  • Coordination2.8
  • Critical Thinking2.8
  • Reading Comprehension2.8
  • Time Management2.8
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.6
Top knowledge areas
  • Production and Processing3.0
  • Mechanical2.9
  • Mathematics2.8
  • Education and Training2.8
  • Public Safety and Security2.8
  • Administration and Management2.7
  • English Language2.6
  • Personnel and Human Resources2.6
Software and technology used
Autodesk AutoCADFacebookMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft WordSAP softwareApache HTTP ServerMaintenance reporting softwareMinitabTime reporting 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 rock splitters, quarry do

  • Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut.
  • Remove pieces of stone from larger masses, using jackhammers, wedges, and other tools.
  • Insert wedges and feathers into holes, and drive wedges with sledgehammers to split stone sections from masses.
  • Mark dimensions or outlines on stone prior to cutting, using rules and chalk lines.
  • Cut slabs of stone into sheets that will be used for floors or counters.
  • Set charges of explosives to split rock.
  • Drill holes along outlines, using jackhammers.
  • Drill holes into sides of stones broken from masses, insert dogs or attach slings, and direct removal of stones.
Also called
DrillerQuarry WorkerRock SplitterStone SplitterSplitter OperatorStone Breaker
More job titles for this occupation (8)
Quarry Chop Saw OperatorQuarry DrillerQuarry Plug and Feather DrillerQuarrying SpecialistRock BreakerRock PickerRockmanSandstone Splitter

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.