Rock Splitters, Quarry earn a median of $48,740 per year ($23.44/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 5.8% through 2035, with about 400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-5051
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Rock Splitter, Quarry in four numbers
- Median pay
- $48,740a year, or $23.44/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $68K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.8%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4003,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20253.5K
- Projected 20353.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 3.5K Projected 2035 3.7K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school49.5%
- High school31.5%
- Professional degree19%
Highest education held by rock splitters, quarry Segment Value Less than high school 49.5% High school 31.5% Professional degree 19%
Also advertised as: Driller, Quarry Worker, Rock Splitter, Splitter Operator, Stone Breaker, Stone Splitter.
Pay
How much do Rock Splitters, Quarry make?
Every rock splitter, quarry in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$48,740
Middle half earn $42,670 to $60,030
- 10th
- $37,340
- 25th
- $42,670
- 75th
- $60,030
- 90th
- $67,710
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,340 |
| 25th | $42,670 |
| Median | $48,740 |
| 75th | $60,030 |
| 90th | $67,710 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $48,740
- Median hourly wage
- $23.44/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $51,500
- People employed
- 3,320
Versus all US occupations
At $48,740, Rock Splitters, Quarry earn 4% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $2,240 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 19% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $67,710 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,340, a gap of 1.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 20% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Massachusetts posts the highest raw median ($66,000), but once local prices are taken into account Missouri leads at $67,157 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Rock Splitters, Quarry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $66,000 | $62,407 | 90 |
| 2Vermont | $65,420 | $66,784 | N/A |
| 3Wisconsin | $62,000 | $65,891 | 40 |
| 4California | $61,620 | $55,654 | 290 |
| 5Missouri | $60,990 | $67,157 | 280 |
| 6Oregon | $59,760 | $57,817 | 50 |
| 7Minnesota | $57,970 | $58,781 | 80 |
| 8North Carolina | $56,320 | $59,708 | 80 |
| 9Indiana | $49,890 | $53,456 | 220 |
| 10Pennsylvania | $48,580 | $49,789 | 260 |
Job outlook
Is Rock Splitter, Quarry a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | +5.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Rock Splitters, Quarry to change 5.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 200 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 400 openings are projected each year, 11.4% of the 3,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Rock Splitter, Quarry
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-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 rock splitters, quarry.
- Less than a High School Diploma49.5%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)31.5%
- First Professional Degree19%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 49.5% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 31.5% |
| First Professional Degree | 19% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Rock Splitter, Quarry do?
Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.
Day-to-day tasks
- 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.
- Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut.
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 timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
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
- Active Listening3.0
- Monitoring2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Critical Thinking2.8
- Speaking2.6
- Writing2.1
- Active Learning2.1
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.8 |
| Speaking | 2.6 |
| Writing | 2.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.3
- Operations Monitoring3.1
- Coordination2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
- Time Management2.8
- Judgment and Decision Making2.6
- Social Perceptiveness2.5
- Troubleshooting2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.5 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Application server software
- Facilities management software
- Time accounting 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 a Rock Splitter, Quarry?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Rock Splitter, Quarry |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 3 |
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
- Conventional3.2
- Investigative2.1
- Artistic1.7
- Social1.3
- Enterprising1.2
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 Rock Splitter, Quarry
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Construction and Extraction
Rotary Drill Operator, Oil and Gas
$67,890median a year
Most earn $47K to $102K
+0.8%No formal credential - Production
- Production
Sawing Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Wood
$42,770median a year
Most earn $31K to $58K
−1.0%High school - Production
- Construction and Extraction
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with rock splitters, quarry highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Roofer$55,440
- Rock Splitter, Quarry$48,740
- 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 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Rock Splitter, Quarry | $48,740 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Rock Splitter, Quarry appears on
Questions
Rock Splitter, Quarry: frequently asked questions
How much do Rock Splitters, Quarry make?
Rock Splitters, Quarry earn a median of $48,740 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 4% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $23.44/hr. The middle half earn between $42,670 and $60,030. The top 10% earn $67,710 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Rock Splitter, Quarry?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Rock Splitters, Quarry, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 49.5% hold less than a high school diploma.
Is Rock Splitter, Quarry a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.8% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Rock Splitter, Quarry do?
Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws. A core O*NET task: remove pieces of stone from larger masses, using jackhammers, wedges, and other tools. Employers most often ask for Computer aided design CAD software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Rock Splitters, Quarry the most?
The highest state medians for Rock Splitters, Quarry are Massachusetts ($66,000), Vermont ($65,420), Wisconsin ($62,000) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Missouri moves to the top at $67,157.
What personality type suits a Rock Splitter, Quarry?
O*NET scores Rock Splitters, Quarry highest on the Realistic and Conventional 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.