How to become a Mining Roof Bolter

Official title: Roof Bolters, Mining

Also called: Bolt Machine Operator, Bolt Man, Bolter, Miner, Place Change Roof Bolter, Roof Bolter, Roof Bolter Operator, Underground Miner, Underground Roof Bolter

Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.

Main tasks

• Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.
• Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.
• Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
• Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.
• Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.
• Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.
• Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
• Dust rocks after bolting.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Ways in

• Licence: A licence is required in 8 states.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $78,540 a year The middle half earn $71,390 to $81,860.
• About 2,200 people work in this job now, and about 1,800 are projected by 2035. (-18.9%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Continuous Mining Machine Operators
• Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
• Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
• Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
• Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas

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Questions people ask

How much does a Mining Roof Bolter earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $78,540 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $71,390 to $81,860.

Is a Mining Roof Bolter a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 19% by 2035, from about 2,200 to about 1,800 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Mining Roof Bolter?

Usually not. Only 5% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Mining Roof Bolter?

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.