How to become an Earth Driller

Official title: Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Also called: Blast Hole Driller, Diamond Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Hard Rock Drill Operator, Highwall Drill Operator, Rock Drill Operator, Underground Drill Operator, Water Well Driller, Well Driller

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.

Main 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.
• Operate machines to flush earth cuttings or to blow dust from holes.
• Verify depths and alignments of boring positions.
• Perform routine maintenance and upgrade work on machines and equipment, such as replacing parts, building up drill bits, and lubricating machinery.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Geothermal and Welldrilling Operator.
• Apprenticeship: Horizontal Directional Drill Operator.
• Apprenticeship: Well Drill Operator (Const).
• Licence: A licence is required in 31 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $60,190 a year The middle half earn $49,900 to $72,450.
• About 19,500 people work in this job now, and about 20,200 are projected by 2035. (+3.6%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
• Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
• Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
• Continuous Mining Machine Operators

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Earth Driller?

Ways in include: Geothermal and Welldrilling Operator.

How much does an Earth Driller earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $60,190 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $49,900 to $72,450.

Is an Earth Driller a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 19,500 to about 20,200 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become an Earth Driller?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Geothermal and Welldrilling Operator.

Will AI change the work of an Earth Driller?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.