Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Also called: Blast Hole Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Well DrillerOperate 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.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 7 of its 29 tasks, and jobs are projected to grow 3.6% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.2% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 12.8 hires for every 10 job openings in construction, which employs about 67% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.12.8 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,440 | $44,980 to $48,950 | 170 |
| Alaska | $80,040 | $61,770 to $94,600 | 290 |
| Arizona | $58,870 | $55,140 to $66,670 | 850 |
| Arkansas | $46,160 | $38,150 to $57,040 | 110 |
| California | $66,910 | $58,870 to $79,420 | 1,630 |
| Colorado | $64,820 | $59,220 to $81,390 | 280 |
| Connecticut | $65,710 | $61,490 to $69,050 | 140 |
| Delaware | $57,160 | $52,760 to $60,800 | not published |
| Florida | $55,320 | $47,150 to $57,920 | 1,630 |
| Georgia | $50,030 | $44,770 to $59,440 | 870 |
| Idaho | $54,830 | $47,100 to $63,930 | 450 |
| Illinois | $79,080 | $67,820 to $103,480 | 330 |
| Indiana | $62,750 | $55,190 to $70,810 | 440 |
| Iowa | $54,000 | $49,220 to $61,020 | 190 |
| Kansas | $65,600 | $49,870 to $76,010 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $56,160 | $47,580 to $67,250 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $55,690 | $47,690 to $65,220 | 190 |
| Maine | $45,560 | $34,720 to $60,260 | 70 |
| Maryland | $61,260 | $51,240 to $68,350 | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $64,180 | $54,510 to $74,770 | 130 |
| Michigan | $62,570 | $56,710 to $74,780 | 850 |
| Minnesota | $63,790 | $50,650 to $77,340 | 340 |
| Mississippi | $60,680 | $45,070 to $76,060 | 250 |
| Missouri | $51,530 | $44,090 to $62,490 | 370 |
| Montana | $71,470 | $60,760 to $77,210 | 180 |
| Nebraska | $60,200 | $49,660 to $63,150 | 210 |
| Nevada | $61,030 | $45,810 to $68,840 | 1,350 |
| New Hampshire | $66,410 | $53,340 to $81,180 | 80 |
| New Jersey | $77,950 | $64,600 to $94,490 | 400 |
| New Mexico | $60,140 | $50,440 to $77,450 | 100 |
| New York | $60,860 | $54,410 to $77,310 | 670 |
| North Carolina | $57,300 | $45,760 to $69,360 | 290 |
| North Dakota | $62,570 | $48,510 to $78,990 | 110 |
| Ohio | $61,010 | $47,940 to $80,220 | 390 |
| Oklahoma | $54,180 | $48,160 to $59,270 | 250 |
| Oregon | $64,920 | $59,280 to $76,790 | 510 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,400 | $51,390 to $63,920 | 730 |
| South Carolina | $61,500 | $47,100 to $78,240 | 120 |
| South Dakota | $57,160 | $51,980 to $60,760 | 80 |
| Tennessee | $58,670 | $47,620 to $64,670 | 450 |
| Texas | $58,700 | $48,390 to $67,160 | 1,930 |
| Utah | $60,490 | $48,820 to $69,640 | 310 |
| Vermont | $61,420 | $60,400 to $76,800 | 70 |
| Virginia | $55,470 | $47,890 to $64,150 | 440 |
| Washington | $80,490 | $61,920 to $100,000 | 210 |
| West Virginia | $55,540 | $51,210 to $60,850 | 240 |
| Wisconsin | $68,320 | $59,860 to $77,750 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $64,450 | $54,210 to $67,710 | 90 |
Nationally: $60,190. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 7 of its 29 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Not much | Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills. | Not published |
| Not much | Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes. | Not published |
| Not much | Select and attach drill bits and drill rods, adding more rods as hole depths increase, and changing drill bits as needed. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes. | Not published |
| Not much | Regulate air pressure, rotary speed, and downward pressure, according to the type of rock or concrete being drilled. | Not published |
See all 29 tasks
| Not much | Verify depths and alignments of boring positions. | Not published |
| AI + software | Record drilling progress and geological data. | Not published |
| Not much | Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites. | Not published |
| Not much | Drive or guide truck-mounted equipment into position, level and stabilize rigs, and extend telescoping derricks. | Not published |
| AI + software | Document geological formations encountered during work. | Not published |
| Not much | Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions. | Not published |
| Not much | Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools. | Not published |
| Not much | Retrieve lost equipment from bore holes, using retrieval tools and equipment. | Not published |
| Not much | Place and install screens, casings, pumps, and other well fixtures to develop wells. | Not published |
| Not much | Pour water into wells, or pump water or slush into wells to cool drill bits and to remove drillings. | Not published |
| Not much | Operate water-well drilling rigs and other equipment to drill, bore, and dig for water wells or for environmental assessment purposes. | Not published |
| Not much | Drill or bore holes in rock for blasting, grouting, anchoring, or building foundations. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform pumping tests to assess well performance. | Not published |
| Not much | Disinfect, reconstruct, and redevelop contaminated wells and water pumping systems, and clean and disinfect new wells in preparation for use. | Not published |
| AI + software | Create and lay out designs for drill and blast patterns. | Not published |
| Not much | Fabricate well casings. | Not published |
| Not much | Withdraw drill rods from holes, and extract core samples. | Not published |
| AI + software | Review client requirements and proposed locations for drilling operations to determine feasibility, and to determine cost estimates. | Not published |
| Not much | Inspect core samples to determine nature of strata, or take samples to laboratories for analysis. | Not published |
| Not much | Retract augers to force discharge dirt from holes. | Not published |
| AI + software | Design well pumping systems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Signal crane operators to move equipment. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor drilling operations, by checking gauges and listening to equipment to assess drilling conditions and to determine the need to adjust drilling or alter equipment. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. O*NET hasn't rated 1 of the tasks, so they come last, in O*NET's own order. 0 of the 29 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 29 tasks fall under 24 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #8 Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
- #38 Select materials or equipment for operations or projects
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operate construction or excavation equipment | |||
| Select materials or equipment for operations or projects | |||
| Position tools or equipment | |||
| Maintain operational records | |||
| Operate transportation equipment or vehicles | |||
| Design industrial systems or equipment | |||
| Collect environmental or biological samples | |||
| Read documents or materials to inform work processes |
Show all 24 activities
| Determine operational methods or procedures | |||
| Maintain tools or equipment | |||
| Assess characteristics of land or property | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Clean tools, equipment, facilities, or work areas | |||
| Dispose of waste or debris | |||
| Assemble equipment or components | |||
| Perform general construction or extraction activities | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Fabricate devices or components | |||
| Install commercial or production equipment | |||
| Drill holes in earth or materials | |||
| Prepare industrial materials for processing or use | |||
| Signal others to coordinate work activities | |||
| Operate pumping systems or equipment | |||
| Operate lifting or moving equipment |
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for earth drillers, except oil and gas specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 735 moves out
- 1 Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Low +0.8% 17%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 8%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 7%
- 4 Sales Managers High +4.5% 4%
- 5 Production Workers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
Where people moved in from
of 899 moves in
- 1 Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Low +0.8% 32%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 4%
- 3 Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers Moderate +3.8% 3%
- 4 First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers High +5.4% 3%
- 5 First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers High -3.7% 2%
The resume data uses 2010 occupation codes. This occupation comes from “Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas”, which today also includes “Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters”, so these figures cover it too. Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 15% less than high school
- 73% high school
- 12% postsecondary certificate
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 17 people answered.
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 15% less than high school
- 55% high school
- 19% some college
- 5% associate's
- 5% bachelor's
- 1% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation · 366 people surveyed.
Why the two can differ
O*NET asks about 20 people in each occupation, which makes its shares uncertain, but it reports the exact occupation and counts certificates. The Census survey reaches thousands, but it groups some occupations together and counts degrees only. More in the Guide
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in this occupation
2 programs: Well Drilling/Driller and Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
>95% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a license | not published | |
| a certification | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeship Finder ↗ DOL lists 3 registered apprenticeships in this occupation (GEOTHERMAL AND WELLDRILLING OPERATOR; Horizontal Directional Drill Operator; Well Drill Operator (Const)). Apprenticeship.gov can't be linked to one occupation, so search for “Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas” there.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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