Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Salary
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas earn a median $60,190 a year nationally. Construction and Extraction Occupations
U.S. median
$60,190
$28.94 per hour
Range
$44,460 – $83,800
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
19,450
across the U.S.
▲1.0%
Pay trend: The median for earth drillers, except oil and gas in the U.S. rose from $59,600 (May 2024) to $60,190 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 1.4%.
What 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.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.6% (about average)
- Openings per year
- 1,400
Employment of earth drillers, except oil and gas is projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 1,400 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$50,543
per year · effective tax rate 16.0%
$4,212Monthly
$2,106Twice a month
$1,944Every 2 weeks
$24.30Hourly
- Federal income tax$5,043
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,732
- Medicare (1.45%)$873
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$50,543
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,460 | $21.38 | $37,904 |
| 25th percentile | $49,900 | $23.99 | $42,275 |
| Median (50th) | $60,190 | $28.94 | $50,543 |
| 75th percentile | $72,450 | $34.83 | $59,799 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,800 | $40.29 | $67,783 |
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $80,490 | +7.9% | $65,455 | $51,020 – $106,370 | 210 |
| Alaska | $80,040 | +5.2% | $65,138 | $61,180 – $94,630 | 290 |
| Illinois | $79,080 | −1.0% | $60,693 | $61,690 – $107,980 | 330 |
| New Jersey | $77,950 | −0.5% | $60,892 | $49,390 – $128,740 | 400 |
| Montana | $71,470 | +13.6% | $56,432 | $60,110 – $104,280 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $68,320 | +1.9% | $54,653 | $51,460 – $81,880 | 280 |
| California | $66,910 | +7.4% | $52,891 | $47,950 – $91,640 | 1,630 |
| New Hampshire | $66,410 | +2.5% | $55,540 | $49,070 – $89,260 | 80 |
| Connecticut | $65,710 | +7.6% | $52,939 | $54,830 – $73,410 | 140 |
| Kansas | $65,600 | +16.4% | $52,029 | $44,800 – $76,950 | 80 |
| Oregon | $64,920 | +0.8% | $49,492 | $45,970 – $81,710 | 510 |
| Colorado | $64,820 | −2.5% | $52,119 | $46,190 – $92,180 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $64,450 | +2.7% | $53,966 | $47,420 – $78,260 | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $64,180 | −20.5% | $50,760 | $51,350 – $86,420 | 130 |
| Minnesota | $63,790 | −3.3% | $50,621 | $47,920 – $91,980 | 340 |
| Indiana | $62,750 | +4.9% | $50,778 | $47,070 – $94,160 | 440 |
| Michigan | $62,570 | +8.0% | $50,047 | $49,710 – $78,470 | 850 |
| North Dakota | $62,570 | +10.1% | $52,455 | $42,210 – $102,300 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $61,500 | +9.5% | $49,062 | $39,990 – $122,300 | 120 |
| Vermont | $61,420 | −5.5% | $49,907 | $57,330 – $79,440 | 70 |
| Maryland | $61,260 | +2.5% | $48,856 | $46,130 – $76,670 | 120 |
| Nevada | $61,030 | −13.2% | $51,218 | $42,210 – $85,350 | 1,350 |
| Ohio | $61,010 | +12.0% | $50,306 | $42,200 – $104,470 | 390 |
| New York | $60,860 | −17.9% | $48,392 | $50,140 – $96,910 | 670 |
| Mississippi | $60,680 | +5.6% | $49,241 | $39,670 – $81,990 | 250 |
| Utah | $60,490 | +4.6% | $49,028 | $46,360 – $79,470 | 310 |
| Nebraska | $60,200 | +21.7% | $48,691 | $48,230 – $73,510 | 210 |
| New Mexico | $60,140 | +11.2% | $48,842 | $37,040 – $91,070 | 100 |
| Arizona | $58,870 | −4.5% | $48,219 | $49,040 – $76,220 | 850 |
| Texas | $58,700 | +9.0% | $49,345 | $39,210 – $80,170 | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $58,670 | +17.0% | $49,321 | $43,620 – $76,630 | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,400 | −0.6% | $46,539 | $46,180 – $75,680 | 730 |
| North Carolina | $57,300 | +2.1% | $46,443 | $40,770 – $89,370 | 290 |
| Delaware | $57,160 | −16.0% | $45,613 | $52,760 – $70,400 | — |
| South Dakota | $57,160 | −0.8% | $48,108 | $48,310 – $70,100 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $56,160 | +1.3% | $45,457 | $45,200 – $73,830 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $55,690 | −9.0% | $45,642 | $46,040 – $74,960 | 190 |
| West Virginia | $55,540 | +18.4% | $45,040 | $43,380 – $62,400 | 240 |
| Virginia | $55,470 | −9.5% | $44,375 | $45,370 – $72,730 | 440 |
| Florida | $55,320 | +4.9% | $46,630 | $43,380 – $63,180 | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $54,830 | +8.9% | $44,438 | $45,300 – $78,460 | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $54,180 | +10.6% | $43,821 | $44,140 – $77,030 | 250 |
| Iowa | $54,000 | −6.2% | $44,169 | $47,130 – $66,720 | 190 |
| Missouri | $51,530 | +2.9% | $42,100 | $37,440 – $68,230 | 370 |
| Georgia | $50,030 | −7.0% | $40,405 | $35,680 – $81,650 | 870 |
| Alabama | $46,440 | −23.2% | $37,438 | $43,740 – $67,970 | 170 |
| Arkansas | $46,160 | −18.5% | $37,682 | $37,290 – $62,330 | 110 |
| Maine | $45,560 | −17.1% | $36,894 | $31,960 – $69,050 | 70 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | $57,430 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.0% |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | $61,390 | High school diploma or equivalent | 0.0% |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,620 | No formal educational credential | +1.6% |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operator | $61,810 | No formal educational credential | +3.2% |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $58,160 | No formal educational credential | +1.1% |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | $57,010 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.4% |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $67,890 | No formal educational credential | +0.8% |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | $70,130 | No formal educational credential | -1.0% |
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | $48,740 | No formal educational credential | +5.8% |
| Helpers--Extraction Worker | $47,730 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.7% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a earth drillers, except oil and gas make?
The national median salary for earth drillers, except oil and gas is $60,190 a year ($28.94 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $44,460 and the top 10% earn over $83,800. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays earth drillers, except oil and gas the most?
Washington has the highest median pay at $80,490.
How many earth drillers, except oil and gas are there in the U.S.?
About 19,450 people work as earth drillers, except oil and gas nationwide.