Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Also called: Auger Operator, Blast Driller, Blast Hole Driller, Boring Machine Operator, Churn Drill Operator, Churn Driller, Construction Driller, Construction Well Drill Operator
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.
What earth drillers, except oil and gas do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
- Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
- Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.
- Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
- Document geological formations encountered during work.
- Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
- Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas salary
The median annual wage for earth drillers, except oil and gas is $60,190 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $44,460 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $83,800. The mean annual wage is $62,830.
The mean hourly wage of $30.00 is 4.1× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $60,190 → in 3 years $66,300 → in 5 years $70,700 → in 10 years $83,000 (10-year range $71,400–$96,400). The model assumes pay growth of +3.3% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas United States | さく井工/ボーリング工 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $60,190 | ¥4.88M ≈ $31,024 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $83,000 | ¥6.43M |
| Outlook score | 56 | 63 |
| AI replacement risk | 12% Very low | 27% Low |
| Workers | 19K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become earth drillers, except oil and gas
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as earth drillers, except oil and gas
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.