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.
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. The role reports a median annual salary of $59,600 in the US and is showing modest growth of 3% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.49 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance, Critical Thinking, Monitoring.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £38,301 a year for Mining and quarry workers and related operatives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8132). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Earth drillers, except oil and gas, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- Design
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Law and Government
What you'd actually 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.
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Earth drillers, except oil and gas do?
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.
How much does Earth drillers, except oil and gas earn?
The median annual salary for Earth drillers, except oil and gas in the US is $59,600.
What is the job outlook for Earth drillers, except oil and gas?
The role is showing modest growth of 3% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 18,300 workers.
How do I become earth drillers, except oil and gas?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Earth drillers, except oil and gas need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Equipment Maintenance, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Active Listening. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Earth drillers, except oil and gas?
Our AI-durability model gives Earth drillers, except oil and gas a score of 0.49 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Earth drillers, except oil and gas has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.