tool pusher
Tool pushers assume responsibility over daily drilling operations. They do mostly administrative work. Tool pushers ensure that the oil rig has sufficient materials, spare parts and enough personnel to continue with the daily operations. They conduct drilling activities in accordance with scheduled programme, supervising drilling crew and equipment.
tool pusher tool pushers assume responsibility over daily drilling operations. They do mostly administrative work. Tool pushers ensure that the oil rig has sufficient materials, spare parts and enough personnel to continue with the daily operations. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include oil rig legislation, mechanics, manage mining plant equipment, give instructions to staff, monitor oil rig costs.
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 tool pusher, 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
Frequently asked questions
What does tool pusher do?
Tool pushers assume responsibility over daily drilling operations. They do mostly administrative work. Tool pushers ensure that the oil rig has sufficient materials, spare parts and enough personnel to continue with the daily operations. They conduct drilling activities in accordance with scheduled programme, supervising drilling crew and equipment.
What skills does tool pusher need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include oil rig legislation, mechanics, manage mining plant equipment, give instructions to staff, monitor oil rig costs, supervise worker safety. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace tool pusher?
Our AI-durability model gives tool pusher a score of 0.50 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.