Skilled Trades

Rock Splitters, Quarry

Separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws.

Median salary (BLS)

$48,740

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$37k – $68k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Rock Splitters, Quarry

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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
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
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 "Rock Splitters, Quarry" — 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

Junior Rock Splitters, Quarry
Entry / Junior
$37,340
~2 yrs to advance
Rock Splitters, Quarry
Established
$48,740
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Rock Splitters, Quarry
Senior
$58,225

Key skills

A typical day

•Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut.
•Remove pieces of stone from larger masses, using jackhammers, wedges, and other tools.
•Insert wedges and feathers into holes, and drive wedges with sledgehammers to split stone sections from masses.
•Mark dimensions or outlines on stone prior to cutting, using rules and chalk lines.

Fields of study

Any field

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