Occupations · Construction and Extraction
Helpers--Extraction Workers
Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 47-5081.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 84% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $66,130 | 300 |
| Midland, TX | $46,130 | 230 |
| Odessa, TX | $41,250 | 110 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $44,700 | 80 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $52,000 | 60 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $39,980 | 60 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $60,560 | 60 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $38,800 | 40 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $44,330 | 40 |
| Billings, MT | $50,740 | 40 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $40,720 | — |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Provide assistance to extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers and derrick operators.
- Observe and monitor equipment operation during the extraction process to detect any problems.
- Drive moving equipment to transport materials and parts to excavation sites.
- Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
- Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
- Organize materials to prepare for use.
- Repair and maintain automotive and drilling equipment, using hand tools.
- Collect and examine geological matter, using hand tools and testing devices.
- Signal workers to start geological material extraction or boring.
- Clean up work areas and remove debris after extraction activities are complete.
- Dismantle extracting and boring equipment used for excavation, using hand tools.
- Clean and prepare sites for excavation or boring.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2018-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2018-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 3
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| mining assistant | 9311.1 | exact |
| roustabout | 8113.6 | close |
| driller | 8111.2 | close |
| derrickhand | 8113.1 | close |
| well-digger | 8113.9 | close |
| oil rig motorhand | 8113.3 | close |
| mud logger | 2114.1.7 | close |
| tool pusher | 8113.7 | close |
| stone driller | 8112.3 | close |
| underground miner | 8111.5 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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