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Skilled Trades

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$60,190

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$44k – $84k

Job outlook

+3% (about average)

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

    Entry / Junior

    $44,460

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

    Established

    $60,190

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

    Senior

    $71,995

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.