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Roof bolter: 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.

$78,540median pay per year, or $37.76 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $63,750lowest 10% earn less
  2. $71,39025th percentile
  3. $78,540median
  4. $81,86075th percentile
  5. $92,830top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Roof bolters in mining earned a median of $78,540 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects jobs to fall 18.9% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
-18.9%[2]
Openings per year
100[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do roof bolters make?

The median pay for roof bolters in mining was $78,540 a year, or $37.76 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $78,100 a year, or $37.55 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $63,750, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $92,830[3]. The 25th percentile was $71,390 and the 75th was $81,860[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].

Hourly, the 10th percentile was $30.65 and the 90th was $44.63[9].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[3] $63,750
Median[1] $78,540
Mean[7] $78,100
90th percentile[3] $92,830

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10].

Pay by state and city

Only seven states have published data[11]. Wyoming had the highest median wage at $116,570, followed by Illinois at $81,860 and Colorado at $81,270[11]. Alabama had the lowest listed median at $67,020[11].

West Virginia had the most jobs by far, at 970[12]. Illinois followed with 200, Kentucky with 120, Virginia with 110 and Wyoming with 100[12].

Two metro areas are listed. Beckley, WV had a median of $77,920 and Wheeling, WV-OH had $66,610[13]. Beckley also had more jobs, at 190, against 120 in Wheeling[14].

Show median pay in 7 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Wyoming[11]$116,570100
Illinois$81,860200
Colorado$81,27040
West Virginia$79,400970
Virginia$78,260110
Kentucky$72,510120
Alabama$67,02080

How to become a roof bolter

The typical path looks like this[6]:

In an O*NET survey of 16 workers, 87% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required and 13% said less than a high school diploma[15].

What roof bolters do

Roof bolters run machines that install bolts to support the roof in an underground mine[16]. Common tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as bolter, roof bolter operator and underground miner[18].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of roof bolters in mining to fall 18.9% from 2025 to 2035[2]. That is from about 2,200 to 1,800 jobs, a loss of 400[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[19].

About 100 openings are projected each year[5]. Some come from workers leaving the field, not only from new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.2% of workers leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[20].

The wage data counted about 2,160 jobs[21]. The projection count includes self-employed workers[2].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay well above the all-occupations median, at $78,540 against $50,980[1][4]. Entry needs a high school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. The job is small and concentrated, with 970 of about 2,160 wage jobs in West Virginia[21][12]. Employment is projected to fall 18.9% while all occupations grow 3.5%, and only about 100 openings are expected each year[2][19][5].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a roof bolter make an hour?
The median was $37.76 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $37.55[1][7].
What education do you need to be a roof bolter?
The typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is roof bolting in demand?
Employment is projected to fall 18.9% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations grow 3.5%[2][19]. About 100 openings are projected each year[5].
What is the highest paying state for roof bolters?
Wyoming, with a median of $116,570[11]. Illinois ($81,860) and Colorado ($81,270) follow[11].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Roof Bolters, Mining in the US was $78,540 per year and $37.76 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Roof Bolters, Mining is projected to decline 18.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 2,200 to 1,800 jobs (a change of -400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Roof Bolters, Mining: 10th percentile $63,750, 25th percentile $71,390, 75th percentile $81,860, 90th percentile $92,830. 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 100 openings for Roof Bolters, Mining 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 Roof Bolters, Mining: 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 Roof Bolters, Mining was $78,100 per year and $37.55 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. 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
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Roof Bolters, Mining: 10th percentile $30.65, 25th percentile $34.32, 75th percentile $39.36, 90th percentile $44.63. 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. Median annual wage for Roof Bolters, Mining in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Roof Bolters, Mining jobs: West Virginia 970; Illinois 200; Kentucky 120; Virginia 110; Wyoming 100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Roof Bolters, Mining (areas with at least 100 jobs): Beckley, WV $77,920; Wheeling, WV-OH $66,610. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Roof Bolters, Mining jobs: Beckley, WV 190 (median $77,920); Wheeling, WV-OH 120 (median $66,610). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 47-5043.00 survey of workers (16 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 87%, Less than a High School Diploma 13% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET description of Roof Bolters, Mining. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET task list for Roof Bolters, Mining. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 47-5043.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Bolt Machine Operator, Bolt Man, Bolter, Miner, Place Change Roof Bolter, Roof Bolter, Roof Bolter Operator, Underground Miner. O*NET OnLine
  19. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  20. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Roof Bolters, Mining: 3.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,160 people were employed as Roof Bolters, Mining in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. 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.