Average Salary for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
SOC 47-5023 · Construction and Extraction Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in the United States is $59,600 ($28.65/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $44,450 at the 10th percentile to $87,760 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 17,410 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 23.5% since 2021.
Median Annual
$59,600
Mean Annual
$63,260
10th Pct
$44,450
75th Pct
$73,530
Employment
17,410
Salary Distribution
$44k
10th
$50k
25th
$60k
Median
$74k
75th
$88k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $92,240 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $84,110 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,030 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $79,050 |
| Billings, MT | $78,350 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,340 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $74,570 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $74,290 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $73,160 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $72,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,200 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $68,920 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $68,100 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $67,780 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $66,700 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $80,780 |
| Illinois | $79,860 |
| New Jersey | $78,340 |
| Alaska | $76,080 |
| Washington | $74,570 |
| New York | $74,150 |
| Nevada | $70,340 |
| Delaware | $68,070 |
| Wisconsin | $67,030 |
| Colorado | $66,500 |
| Minnesota | $65,960 |
| Vermont | $64,980 |
| New Hampshire | $64,800 |
| Oregon | $64,390 |
| Montana | $62,920 |
| Wyoming | $62,740 |
| California | $62,280 |
| Arizona | $61,640 |
| Virginia | $61,290 |
| Louisiana | $61,170 |
| Connecticut | $61,050 |
| Alabama | $60,440 |
| Indiana | $59,830 |
| Maryland | $59,780 |
| Michigan | $57,930 |
| Utah | $57,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,770 |
| South Dakota | $57,600 |
| Iowa | $57,570 |
| Mississippi | $57,450 |
| North Dakota | $56,840 |
| Arkansas | $56,630 |
| Kansas | $56,340 |
| South Carolina | $56,140 |
| North Carolina | $56,100 |
| Kentucky | $55,430 |
| Maine | $54,970 |
| Ohio | $54,460 |
| New Mexico | $54,060 |
| Texas | $53,850 |
| Georgia | $53,780 |
| Florida | $52,720 |
| Idaho | $50,330 |
| Tennessee | $50,160 |
| Missouri | $50,070 |
| Nebraska | $49,460 |
| Oklahoma | $48,980 |
| West Virginia | $46,920 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Metal Ore Mining | $83,250 |
| Coal Mining | $77,290 |
| Residential Building Construction | $74,800 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $70,690 |
| Wholesale Trade | $69,090 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $67,240 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $67,240 |
| Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | $67,240 |
| Utilities | $65,580 |
| Utilities | $65,580 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $62,680 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $62,210 |
| Manufacturing | $62,130 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $61,440 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $61,290 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $61,180 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $61,180 |
| Construction of Buildings | $60,860 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $60,610 |
| Utility System Construction | $60,130 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $60,050 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $59,780 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $59,630 |
| Construction | $59,440 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $59,040 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $58,730 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $58,470 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $58,440 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $58,250 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $58,210 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $58,110 |
| Engineering Services | $57,970 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $57,820 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | $57,540 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $57,130 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $57,000 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $57,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $57,000 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $56,740 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $56,160 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $56,160 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $56,130 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $55,360 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $55,360 |
| Information | $53,520 |
| Telecommunications | $53,520 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $52,640 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | $52,380 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $59,600 |
| 2023 | $56,660 |
| 2022 | $51,740 |
| 2021 | $48,250 |