Occupations · Construction and Extraction
Roof Bolters, Mining
Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 47-5043.00
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 30% between 2019 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Beckley, WV | $76,040 | 190 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $81,810 | 150 |
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.
- Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.
- Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
- Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.
- Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.
- Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.
- Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
- Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.
- Dust rocks after bolting.
- Install various types of bolts, including truss, glue, and resin bolts, traversing entire ceiling spans.
- Drill test holes and test bolts for specified tension, using torque wrenches.
- Position safety jacks to support underground mine roofs until bolts can be installed.
- Rotate chucks to turn bolts and open expansion heads against rock formations.
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 2017-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2017-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Check roof or ribs for hazardous conditions.
- Clean equipment, such as dust collectors.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
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 2020
Comparing O*NET release 25.1 (2020-11-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| underground heavy equipment operator | 8111.4 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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