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Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Construction · SOC 47-5023
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$60,190
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
—
Proj. Annual Openings
19,450
Employment (OEWS 2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.0%
Top Skills
1.Operations Monitoring
2.Operation and Control
3.Critical Thinking
4.Equipment Maintenance
5.Monitoring
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
Microsoft Excel · hotMicrosoft Office software · hotMicrosoft Word · hotGlobal positioning system GPS software
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
0
Occupations Shown
0.0%
Avg AI Exposure
0
Bright Outlook
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Outlook | Average | 0% Bright |
| Median Salary | $60,190 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |