Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Construction and Extraction · SOC 47-5023
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 47-5023 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 0.0%
- Low · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 52/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $60,190
- No H-1B offered-wage row for this SOC.
- Projected openings
- —
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +2.9%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 0
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 386 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
Transition context
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
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.
Common titles: Blast Hole Driller, Diamond Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Hard Rock Drill Operator, Highwall Drill Operator
Representative Tasks
- •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.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Fabricate parts or components.
- •Operate drilling equipment.
- •Operate pumps or compressors.
- •Pour materials into or on designated areas.
- •Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Outlook | Average | 70% Bright |
| Median Salary | $60,190 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |