SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-5023.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $44,460 | $3,705 | $855 | $21.37 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $49,900 | $4,158 | $960 | $23.99 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $60,190 | $5,016 | $1,158 | $28.94 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $72,450 | $6,038 | $1,393 | $34.83 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $83,800 | $6,983 | $1,612 | $40.29 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is $60,190, which is 18% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 21 by median pay. With 19,450 jobs, it makes up about 1.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pay by state
The highest median pay was in Washington ($80,490), Alaska ($80,040) and Illinois ($79,080). The lowest was in Maine ($45,560), Arkansas ($46,160) and Alabama ($46,440). The most jobs were in Texas (1,930), California (1,630) and Florida (1,630). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 7.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 210 | $80,490 | $81,380 | $38.70 |
| Alaska | 290 | $80,040 | $77,300 | $38.48 |
| Illinois | 330 | $79,080 | $81,990 | $38.02 |
| New Jersey | 400 | $77,950 | $82,890 | $37.48 |
| Montana | 180 | $71,470 | $72,910 | $34.36 |
| Wisconsin | 280 | $68,320 | $69,410 | $32.84 |
| California | 1,630 | $66,910 | $69,450 | $32.17 |
| New Hampshire | 80 | $66,410 | $69,120 | $31.93 |
| Connecticut | 140 | $65,710 | $65,650 | $31.59 |
| Kansas | 80 | $65,600 | $63,170 | $31.54 |
| Oregon | 510 | $64,920 | $67,020 | $31.21 |
| Colorado | 280 | $64,820 | $68,280 | $31.16 |
| Wyoming | 90 | $64,450 | $61,980 | $30.98 |
| Massachusetts | 130 | $64,180 | $67,750 | $30.86 |
| Minnesota | 340 | $63,790 | $65,600 | $30.67 |
| Indiana | 440 | $62,750 | $64,650 | $30.17 |
| Michigan | 850 | $62,570 | $65,160 | $30.08 |
| North Dakota | 110 | $62,570 | $66,840 | $30.08 |
| South Carolina | 120 | $61,500 | $68,660 | $29.57 |
| Vermont | 70 | $61,420 | $67,350 | $29.53 |
| Maryland | 120 | $61,260 | $61,960 | $29.45 |
| Nevada | 1,350 | $61,030 | $60,530 | $29.34 |
| Ohio | 390 | $61,010 | $66,530 | $29.33 |
| New York | 670 | $60,860 | $67,900 | $29.26 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $60,680 | $63,980 | $29.17 |
| Utah | 310 | $60,490 | $60,730 | $29.08 |
| Nebraska | 210 | $60,200 | $57,880 | $28.94 |
| New Mexico | 100 | $60,140 | $62,580 | $28.91 |
| Arizona | 850 | $58,870 | $62,940 | $28.30 |
| Texas | 1,930 | $58,700 | $60,000 | $28.22 |
| Tennessee | 450 | $58,670 | $59,600 | $28.21 |
| Pennsylvania | 730 | $57,400 | $60,520 | $27.60 |
| North Carolina | 290 | $57,300 | $60,270 | $27.55 |
| Delaware | not published | $57,160 | $58,970 | $27.48 |
| South Dakota | 80 | $57,160 | $57,860 | $27.48 |
| Kentucky | 80 | $56,160 | $57,890 | $27.00 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $55,690 | $57,680 | $26.77 |
| West Virginia | 240 | $55,540 | $55,270 | $26.70 |
| Virginia | 440 | $55,470 | $58,090 | $26.67 |
| Florida | 1,630 | $55,320 | $54,060 | $26.60 |
| Idaho | 450 | $54,830 | $57,690 | $26.36 |
| Oklahoma | 250 | $54,180 | $60,490 | $26.05 |
| Iowa | 190 | $54,000 | $55,690 | $25.96 |
| Missouri | 370 | $51,530 | $53,250 | $24.77 |
| Georgia | 870 | $50,030 | $54,630 | $24.06 |
| Alabama | 170 | $46,440 | $51,640 | $22.33 |
| Arkansas | 110 | $46,160 | $50,910 | $22.19 |
| Maine | 70 | $45,560 | $49,030 | $21.91 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Sheet Metal Workers$61,800 a year
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters$61,390 a year
- Carpenters$60,580 a year
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850 a year
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers$58,970 a year
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$58,930 a year
Common questions
How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas earn in the United States?
The median pay was $60,190 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,460 and the highest-paid 10% more than $83,800.
How many people work as Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?
About 19,450 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.