Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 47-5023.00
Approved titles
3
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
3,372 h
longest minimum 8,000 h
National median pay
$60,190
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
19,450
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 3,372 hours, Horizontal Directional Drill Operator (hybrid)
- State medians
- $80,490 in Washington to $45,560 in Maine (48 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| GEOTHERMAL AND WELLDRILLING OPERATOR | 2006 | Hybrid: 4,000 to 6,000 hours Time-Based: 4,000 hours |
| Horizontal Directional Drill Operator | 2083 | Hybrid: 3,372 to 3,936 hours Time-Based: 3,372 hours |
| Well Drill Operator (Const) | 0629 | Hybrid: 8,000 to 10,000 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours |
What earth drillers, except oil and gas earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $80,490 | $38.70 | 210 |
| Alaska | $80,040 | $38.48 | 290 |
| Illinois | $79,080 | $38.02 | 330 |
| New Jersey | $77,950 | $37.48 | 400 |
| Montana | $71,470 | $34.36 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $68,320 | $32.84 | 280 |
| California | $66,910 | $32.17 | 1,630 |
| New Hampshire | $66,410 | $31.93 | 80 |
| Connecticut | $65,710 | $31.59 | 140 |
| Kansas | $65,600 | $31.54 | 80 |
| Oregon | $64,920 | $31.21 | 510 |
| Colorado | $64,820 | $31.16 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $64,450 | $30.98 | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $64,180 | $30.86 | 130 |
| Minnesota | $63,790 | $30.67 | 340 |
| Indiana | $62,750 | $30.17 | 440 |
| Michigan | $62,570 | $30.08 | 850 |
| North Dakota | $62,570 | $30.08 | 110 |
| South Carolina | $61,500 | $29.57 | 120 |
| Vermont | $61,420 | $29.53 | 70 |
| Maryland | $61,260 | $29.45 | 120 |
| Nevada | $61,030 | $29.34 | 1,350 |
| Ohio | $61,010 | $29.33 | 390 |
| New York | $60,860 | $29.26 | 670 |
| Mississippi | $60,680 | $29.17 | 250 |
| Utah | $60,490 | $29.08 | 310 |
| Nebraska | $60,200 | $28.94 | 210 |
| New Mexico | $60,140 | $28.91 | 100 |
| Arizona | $58,870 | $28.30 | 850 |
| Texas | $58,700 | $28.22 | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $58,670 | $28.21 | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,400 | $27.60 | 730 |
| North Carolina | $57,300 | $27.55 | 290 |
| Delaware | $57,160 | $27.48 | Not published |
| South Dakota | $57,160 | $27.48 | 80 |
| Kentucky | $56,160 | $27.00 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $55,690 | $26.77 | 190 |
| West Virginia | $55,540 | $26.70 | 240 |
| Virginia | $55,470 | $26.67 | 440 |
| Florida | $55,320 | $26.60 | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $54,830 | $26.36 | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $54,180 | $26.05 | 250 |
| Iowa | $54,000 | $25.96 | 190 |
| Missouri | $51,530 | $24.77 | 370 |
| Georgia | $50,030 | $24.06 | 870 |
| Alabama | $46,440 | $22.33 | 170 |
| Arkansas | $46,160 | $22.19 | 110 |
| Maine | $45,560 | $21.91 | 70 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.