SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area. Apprentice workers are classified with the appropriate skilled construction trade occupation (47-2011 through 47-2231).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-5081.
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 | $36,960 | $3,080 | $711 | $17.77 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $41,430 | $3,452 | $797 | $19.92 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,730 | $3,978 | $918 | $22.95 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $57,920 | $4,827 | $1,114 | $27.84 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $68,020 | $5,668 | $1,308 | $32.70 |
* 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 Helpers--Extraction Workers is $47,730, which is 6% lower. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 51 by median pay. With 6,700 jobs, it makes up about 0.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Helpers--Extraction Workers pay by state
The highest median pay was in West Virginia ($77,180), Kentucky ($68,020) and Utah ($55,490). The lowest was in Mississippi ($36,160), Colorado ($37,450) and Oklahoma ($38,510). The most jobs were in California (1,170), Texas (970) and Florida (420). The occupation is most concentrated in West Virginia, where its share of all jobs is 11.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 360 | $77,180 | $65,770 | $37.11 |
| Kentucky | 230 | $68,020 | $66,890 | $32.70 |
| Utah | not published | $55,490 | $52,790 | $26.68 |
| Wyoming | 110 | $55,240 | $62,870 | $26.56 |
| New York | 210 | $54,910 | $55,890 | $26.40 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $54,840 | $56,070 | $26.37 |
| New Hampshire | 30 | $54,700 | $57,570 | $26.30 |
| New Jersey | not published | $53,820 | $51,810 | $25.87 |
| California | 1,170 | $51,720 | $51,370 | $24.87 |
| Maryland | 80 | $51,020 | $51,750 | $24.53 |
| Virginia | 90 | $50,350 | $62,240 | $24.21 |
| Indiana | 140 | $49,490 | $60,110 | $23.79 |
| Arizona | not published | $49,070 | $51,090 | $23.59 |
| Alaska | 80 | $48,820 | $53,130 | $23.47 |
| Pennsylvania | 370 | $48,290 | $48,260 | $23.22 |
| Louisiana | 320 | $46,940 | $48,450 | $22.57 |
| Montana | 120 | $46,720 | $52,040 | $22.46 |
| Nevada | 230 | $46,610 | $49,630 | $22.41 |
| Oregon | 90 | $46,270 | $50,200 | $22.25 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $45,250 | $47,030 | $21.75 |
| North Carolina | 150 | $42,670 | $44,720 | $20.51 |
| Florida | 420 | $41,090 | $43,010 | $19.75 |
| Texas | 970 | $40,650 | $41,720 | $19.54 |
| Oklahoma | 140 | $38,510 | $36,000 | $18.52 |
| Colorado | 190 | $37,450 | $49,710 | $18.00 |
| Mississippi | not published | $36,160 | $35,560 | $17.38 |
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
- Pipelayers$49,000 a year
- Rock Splitters, Quarry$48,740 a year
- Fence Erectors$47,980 a year
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters$47,550 a year
- Construction Laborers$47,120 a year
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$46,960 a year
Common questions
How much do Helpers--Extraction Workers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,730 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,960 and the highest-paid 10% more than $68,020.
How many people work as Helpers--Extraction Workers?
About 6,700 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.