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Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Virginia

Considering working as an Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Virginia? Below are the key facts. 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.

What do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Make in Virginia?

The earth drillers, except oil and gas working in Virginia, the median annual wage is $61,290 per year (or about $29.47/hour).Pay can range from $45,510 at the 10th percentile to $100,950 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$45,510	$21.88
25th percentile	$49,200	$23.65
Median (50th)	$61,290	$29.47
75th percentile	$72,950	$35.07
90th percentile	$100,950	$48.53

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in Virginia relative to the national average — is 0.93.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, earth drillers, except oil and gas earn a median of $53,437 per year ($25.69/hour), above the Virginia median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 365,705 earth drillers, except oil and gas in the U.S.. In Virginia alone, around 430 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 280 earth drillers, except oil and gas.

Top Virginia Metros for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

These are the Virginia metros with the most earth drillers, except oil and gas in Virginia.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	80	$62,740
Richmond, VA	50	$66,180

Top States for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Employment

The table below shows the states where the most earth drillers, except oil and gas work.

State	Number Employed
California	1,400
Texas	1,230
Florida	1,150
Pennsylvania	820
Michigan	780
Arizona	680
Nevada	670
Idaho	660
New York	580
Georgia	530
Utah	500
Tennessee	470
Missouri	440
Virginia	430
Illinois	410
Ohio	400
Louisiana	400
New Jersey	390
North Carolina	390
Indiana	380

Highest-Paying States for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

These states pay the most for earth drillers, except oil and gas.

State	Annual Median Salary
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

Skills

Key earth drillers, except oil and gas skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for earth drillers, except oil and gas, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, earth drillers, except oil and gas typically:

• 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.
• Select the appropriate drill for the job, using knowledge of rock or soil conditions.
• Document geological formations encountered during work.
• Drive trucks, tractors, or truck-mounted drills to and from work sites.
• Assemble and position machines, augers, casing pipes, and other equipment, using hand and power tools.

Work Activities

• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Controlling Machines and Processes
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Getting Information
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Handling and Moving Objects
• Performing General Physical Activities
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

• Ground Transportation
• Plumbing & Water Supply

Related Careers

Other careers like earth drillers, except oil and gas include:

• Construction Laborers
• Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
• Pile Driver Operators
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
• Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Also Known As

Auger Operator, Blast Driller, Blast Hole Driller, Boring Machine Operator, Churn Drill Operator, Churn Driller, Construction Driller, Construction Well Drill Operator, Core Driller, Debris Monitor, Deep Well Contractor, Diamond Driller, Directional Drill Operator, Directional Driller, Drill Hand.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-5023.00