The median pay for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is $60,190 a year ($28.94/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% through 2035, with about 1,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 47-5023
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas in four numbers
- Median pay
- $60,190a year, or $28.94/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $44KTop 10% $84K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,40019,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202519.5K
- Projected 203520.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 19.5K Projected 2035 20.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school15.1%
- High school72.8%
- Certificate12.2%
Highest education held by earth drillers, except oil and gas Segment Value Less than high school 15.1% High school 72.8% Certificate 12.2%
Also advertised as: Blast Hole Driller, Diamond Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Hard Rock Drill Operator, Highwall Drill Operator.
Pay
How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make?
Every earth driller, except oil and gas in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$60,190
Middle half earn $49,900 to $72,450
- 10th
- $44,460
- 25th
- $49,900
- 75th
- $72,450
- 90th
- $83,800
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $44,460 |
| 25th | $49,900 |
| Median | $60,190 |
| 75th | $72,450 |
| 90th | $83,800 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $60,190
- Median hourly wage
- $28.94/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $62,830
- People employed
- 19,450
Versus all US occupations
At $60,190, Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas earn 18% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $9,210 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
The median is typical for the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $83,800 or more while the bottom 10% earn $44,460, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 32% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($80,490), but once local prices are taken into account Illinois leads at $79,113 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $80,490 | $75,215 | 210 |
| 2Alaska | $80,040 | $78,195 | 290 |
| 3Illinois | $79,080 | $79,113 | 330 |
| 4New Jersey | $77,950 | $71,642 | 400 |
| 5Montana | $71,470 | $75,514 | 180 |
| 6Wisconsin | $68,320 | $72,607 | 280 |
| 7California | $66,910 | $60,432 | 1,630 |
| 8New Hampshire | $66,410 | $63,755 | 80 |
| 9Connecticut | $65,710 | $63,421 | 140 |
| 10Kansas | $65,600 | $72,834 | 80 |
Job outlook
Is Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | +3.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,400 openings are projected each year, 7.2% of the 19,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as earth drillers, except oil and gas.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)72.8%
- Less than a High School Diploma15.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate12.2%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 72.8% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 15.1% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 12.2% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas do?
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.
Day-to-day tasks
- Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
- Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed.
- Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
- Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
- Record drilling progress and geological data.
- Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
- Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
- Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Active Learning2.8
- Writing2.4
- Mathematics2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Active Learning | 2.8 |
| Writing | 2.4 |
| Mathematics | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring4.0
- Operation and Control3.9
- Equipment Maintenance3.3
- Coordination3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Equipment Selection3.0
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Equipment Selection | 3.0 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Mobile location based services software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 4 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.7
- Investigative3.6
- Enterprising1.7
- Social1.2
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
Rotary Drill Operator, Oil and Gas
$67,890median a year
Most earn $47K to $102K
+0.8%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
- Production
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
$49,080median a year
Most earn $36K to $68K
−9.5%High school - Construction and Extraction
Continuous Mining Machine Operator
$61,810median a year
Most earn $47K to $86K
+3.2%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
$57,430median a year
Most earn $42K to $82K
+1.0%High school - Construction and Extraction
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
$59,850median a year
Most earn $42K to $101K
+4.6%High school
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with earth drillers, except oil and gas highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas$60,190
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas | $60,190 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas appears on
Questions
Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas: frequently asked questions
How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make?
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas earn a median of $60,190 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 18% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.94/hr. The middle half earn between $49,900 and $72,450. The top 10% earn $83,800 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 72.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas do?
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. A core O*NET task: operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas the most?
The highest state medians for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas are Washington ($80,490), Alaska ($80,040), Illinois ($79,080) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Illinois moves to the top at $79,113.
What personality type suits an Earth Driller, Except Oil and Gas?
O*NET scores Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.