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Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
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.
Other titles employers use
Blast Hole Driller · Diamond Driller · Drill Operator · Driller · Hard Rock Drill Operator · Highwall Drill Operator · Rock Drill Operator · Underground Drill Operator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
- Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to practical, organizing and analytical work.
- Practical
- Building, repairing, using tools, or working outdoors
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Critical Thinking
- Equipment Maintenance
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
Subjects to know
- Mechanical
- Administration and Management
- Transportation
- Public Safety and Security
- Design
Useful strengths
- Control Precision
- Arm-Hand Steadiness
- Multilimb Coordination
- Reaction Time
- Manual Dexterity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 2.7 | Largely your own space |
| On your feet | 4.1 | Standing or moving for most of it |
| Talking face to face | 4.5 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 4.7 | Handling tools, instruments or materials |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- High school or less 88%
- A certificate or some college 12%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Word processing software
- Mobile location based services software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 2,450
- Job openings each year
- 260
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 16.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2,450 | 260 | 16.1% |
| California | 1,400 | 150 | 16.7% |
| Arizona | 1,370 | 140 | 8.7% |
| Florida | 1,160 | 120 | 16.0% |
| Nevada | 1,150 | 130 | 43.8% |
| Louisiana | 1,110 | 110 | 1.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 890 | 90 | 2.3% |
| Tennessee | 740 | 80 | 32.1% |
| Michigan | 710 | 70 | −1.4% |
| North Carolina | 690 | 70 | 13.1% |
| Missouri | 680 | 70 | 7.9% |
| Virginia | 610 | 60 | — |
| Ohio | 530 | 50 | 3.9% |
| Utah | 490 | 50 | 22.5% |
| Maryland | 440 | 50 | 7.3% |
| Indiana | 410 | 40 | — |
| Minnesota | 410 | 40 | 10.8% |
| New Jersey | 400 | 40 | 5.3% |
| Montana | 360 | 40 | 24.1% |
| Oregon | 320 | 30 | 14.3% |
| Colorado | 310 | 30 | 6.9% |
| Wisconsin | 280 | 30 | 16.7% |
| Alaska | 260 | 30 | 13.0% |
| Georgia | 260 | 30 | 8.3% |
| North Dakota | 220 | 20 | 15.8% |
| Illinois | 210 | 20 | 10.5% |
| Iowa | 190 | 20 | 11.8% |
| Mississippi | 190 | 20 | 18.8% |
| New Mexico | 180 | 20 | 5.9% |
| South Carolina | 160 | 20 | 6.7% |
| Maine | 150 | 10 | −6.3% |
| Massachusetts | 150 | 20 | — |
| Kentucky | 140 | 10 | −6.7% |
| Nebraska | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| New Hampshire | 130 | 10 | 8.3% |
| Alabama | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| West Virginia | 120 | 10 | — |
| Arkansas | 110 | 10 | 10.0% |
| Connecticut | 110 | 10 | 22.2% |
| Kansas | 110 | 10 | — |
| Delaware | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| South Dakota | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| Vermont | 100 | 10 | — |
| Oklahoma | 60 | 10 | 20.0% |
| Wyoming | 40 | 0 | 33.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.