Also called: Diamond Driller, Mineral Exploration Driller
Drills deep, skinny holes in remote places to pull up long cylinders of rock that tell geologists whether a mine is worth building.
You fly by helicopter to a drill pad in the mountains and run a diamond-bit rig for a 12-hour shift. Every few meters you pull up a tube of rock and lay it in a box for the geologist. Then you spend two weeks off before rotating back in.
BLS earth drillers; remote rotation work with overtime can pay much more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. High school; start as a driller's helper and learn on the job over 2-4 years.
Ways in: On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). Earth drillers overall; mineral exploration rises with metal prices.
Low risk for 10 years. Drilling in remote mountains and deserts is hands-on work; rigs get smarter but crews still run them.
Age 18+. One way to start: Apply to drilling contractors as a driller's helper; expect remote camp rotations First: MSHA miner training (24 hours) and often a drug test
Classes: Earth science, Mechanics CTE class, Weight training.
Official data: O*NET occupation 47-5023.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.