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Driller helper: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,730median pay per year, or $22.95 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,960lowest 10% earn less
  2. $41,43025th percentile
  3. $47,730median
  4. $57,92075th percentile
  5. $68,020top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Helpers--Extraction Workers had a median pay of $47,730 a year[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 1.7% over the coming decade[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.7%[2]
Openings per year
700[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do driller helpers make?

The median wage for Helpers--Extraction Workers was $47,730 a year, or $22.95 an hour[1]. The average was $50,620 a year, or $24.34 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980, so the typical driller helper earned a little less[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,960 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $41,430[3]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $57,920, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $68,020[3]. Hourly, those points were $17.77, $19.92, $27.84 and $32.70[8]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

Point Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[3][8] $36,960 $17.77
Median[1] $47,730 $22.95
90th percentile[3][8] $68,020 $32.70

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. About 6,700 people held these jobs[11]. BLS also reports that 5.5% of these workers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

West Virginia had the highest state median at $77,180, followed by Kentucky at $68,020 and Utah at $55,490[13]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median at $36,160[13]. BLS lists 26 states with published data[13].

California had the most jobs with 1,170, then Texas with 970 and Florida with 420[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median at $60,470, followed by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA at $51,750 and Bakersfield-Delano, CA at $51,060[15]. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario had the most jobs, 190[16].

Show median pay in 26 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
West Virginia[13]$77,180360
Kentucky$68,020230
Utah$55,490n/a
Wyoming$55,240110
New York$54,910210
New Mexico$54,840130
New Hampshire$54,70030
New Jersey$53,820n/a
California$51,7201,170
Maryland$51,02080
Virginia$50,35090
Indiana$49,490140
Arizona$49,070n/a
Alaska$48,82080
Pennsylvania$48,290370
Louisiana$46,940320
Montana$46,720120
Nevada$46,610230
Oregon$46,27090
South Dakota$45,25060
North Carolina$42,670150
Florida$41,090420
Texas$40,650970
Oklahoma$38,510140
Colorado$37,450190
Mississippi$36,160n/a

How to become a driller helper

The facts describe a short path.

O*NET places the job in a group where some jobs need little or no experience and others need several months to a year[18]. The facts here do not give an exact training length, license or exam.

What driller helpers do

O*NET describes the job as helping extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters, derrick operators and mining machine operators, with duties that need less skill, like supplying equipment or cleaning the work area[19]. Common tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as driller helper, miner helper and powderman[21].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, about 100 jobs, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][22]. Those counts include self-employed workers[2].

About 700 openings a year are projected[5]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.1% of workers leave the labor force and 6.1% move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with a low entry barrier. A high school diploma and on-the-job training are the typical route[6]. Median pay is a little below the all-occupations median, and pay differs a lot by state[1][4][13]. The job is small, with about 6,700 wage and salary jobs, and growth is slower than the all-occupations rate[11][2][22]. Related jobs such as earth drillers are listed with their own pay and outlook[24].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a driller helper make an hour?
The median was $22.95 an hour and the average was $24.34 an hour[1][7].
What education do you need to be a driller helper?
A high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry education, with on-the-job training[6].
Is driller helper work in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 1.7% against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 700 openings a year[2][22][5].
What is the highest paying state for driller helpers?
West Virginia had the highest state median at $77,180[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Helpers--Extraction Workers in the US was $47,730 per year and $22.95 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Helpers--Extraction Workers is projected to grow 1.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 7,100 to 7,200 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Helpers--Extraction Workers: 10th percentile $36,960, 25th percentile $41,430, 75th percentile $57,920, 90th percentile $68,020. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 700 openings for Helpers--Extraction Workers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Helpers--Extraction Workers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Helpers--Extraction Workers was $50,620 per year and $24.34 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Helpers--Extraction Workers: 10th percentile $17.77, 25th percentile $19.92, 75th percentile $27.84, 90th percentile $32.70. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 6,700 people were employed as Helpers--Extraction Workers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 5.5% of Helpers--Extraction Workers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Helpers--Extraction Workers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Helpers--Extraction Workers jobs: California 1,170; Texas 970; Florida 420; Pennsylvania 370; West Virginia 360. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Helpers--Extraction Workers (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $60,470; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $51,750; Bakersfield-Delano, CA $51,060; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $47,730; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $43,940; Midland, TX $42,810. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Helpers--Extraction Workers jobs: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 190 (median $51,750); Bakersfield-Delano, CA 170 (median $51,060); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 170 (median $60,470); Midland, TX 150 (median $42,810); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 110 (median $43,940); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 100 (median $47,730). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 47-5081.00 survey of workers (16 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 97% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 47-5081.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET description of Helpers--Extraction Workers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET task list for Helpers--Extraction Workers. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET 47-5081.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Continuous Miner Operator Helper, Driller Helper, Driller's Assistant, Longwall Machine Operator Helper, Miner Helper, Powderman, Salt Miner. O*NET OnLine
  22. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Helpers--Extraction Workers: 3.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.