Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas salary by state
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is a professional role in the Construction and Extraction job family, focused on Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gass do
Typical education: High School Diploma
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.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlEquipment MaintenanceCritical ThinkingMonitoringTroubleshooting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pay by experience level
Entry level$46,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$51,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$62,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$75,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$86,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+2.9%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,700
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas salary by industry
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
9,120 workers
$66,500
Utility System Construction
8,560 workers
$66,500
Specialty Trade Contractors
3,630 workers
$63,500
Other Specialty Trade Contractors
3,150 workers
$63,500
Support Activities for Mining
2,440 workers
$62,500
Support Activities for Mining
2,440 workers
$62,500
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,790 workers
$61,500
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
1,520 workers
$60,500
Mining (except Oil and Gas)
1,280 workers
$70,500
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying
780 workers
$65,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pays 0% below the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).
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