Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 19K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$60,190
Median hourly
$29
Average annual
$62,830
Typical range
$44,460–$83,800
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is $60,190 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $29 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $44,460 and $83,800 a year. There are roughly 19K people employed as earth drillers, except oil and gas in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas.
- Hourly
- $28.94
- Daily
- $232
- Weekly
- $1,158
- Bi-weekly
- $2,315
- Monthly
- $5,016
- Annual
- $60,190
$60,190 a year is around the 50th percentile for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gass. The median is $60,190.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$80,490
- 2Alaska$80,040
- 3Illinois$79,080
- 4New Jersey$77,950
- 5Montana$71,470
- 6Wisconsin$68,320
- 7California$66,910
- 8New Hampshire$66,410
- 9Connecticut$65,710
- 10Kansas$65,600
- 11Oregon$64,920
- 12Colorado$64,820
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Fairbanks-College, AK$94,600
- 2Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$89,300
- 3Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$81,960
- 4Anchorage, AK$80,030
- 5Billings, MT$78,410
- 6San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$76,850
- 7Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$74,300
- 8New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$74,120
- 9Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$73,560
- 10Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$73,090
- 11Saginaw, MI$72,800
- 12Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$71,790
Related job titles
Employers advertise Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$67,890
- Helpers--Extraction Workers$47,730
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators$61,810
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$49,080
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$57,430
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters$61,390
- Roustabouts, Oil and Gas$46,960
What a Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas does
- 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.
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make?
- The median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas is $60,190 ($29 per hour). Pay ranges from about $44,460 at the 10th percentile to $83,800 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $62,830, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gass the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $80,490.
- Is Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 19K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas do?
- 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..