As of June 2026, Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas has an AI-exposure score of 37/100 (Low exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.

AI Exposure Score for

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

37/100
Low exposure
LowModerateElevatedHighVery High

More exposed than 7% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$60,190. About 1,700 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).

Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.

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How this role compares to similar Construction roles

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (this role)
37
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Data sources, not endorsements: O*NET task data, BLS employment/pay/demand, and Anthropic Economic Index signals.Methodology Data sources
Role snapshot

What this role usually involves

O*NET 29.1 exact occupation

Operate a variety of drills such as rotary, churn, and pneumatic to tap subsurface water and salt deposits, to remove core samples during mineral exploration or soil testing, and to facilitate the use of explosives in mining or construction. Includes horizontal and earth boring machine operators.

Common titles
Blast Hole DrillerDrill OperatorDrillerWell DrillerDiamond DrillerHard Rock Drill Operator
O*NET job-zone preparation
Job Zone 2 · Some Preparation Needed These occupations usually require a high school diploma. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed.

Broad guidance for this preparation level; exact requirements vary by role and employer.

Skills and knowledge
Operation and ControlCritical ThinkingMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingCoordinationSpeaking
Tools and technology
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordGlobal positioning system GPS softwareAdjustable combination wrenchesAir rotary drills
Work context
Face-to-face discussionsDecision latitudeFrequent contact with othersConsequence of errorTelephone

Source: O*NET 29.1 exact occupation - Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas, SOC 47-5023.00. Context describes the role; the AI-exposure score remains a separate task-exposure estimate.

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Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas tasks, by AI exposure

Automatable

No automatable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as durable (75%).

Augmentable
  • Document geological formations encountered during work.
  • Record drilling progress and geological data.
3 more augmentable tasks locked in the report.
Durable
  • Operate controls to stabilize machines and to position and align drills.
  • Start, stop, and control drilling speed of machines and insertion of casings into holes.
13 more durable tasks locked in the report.

We analyzed all 20 Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas tasks — 5 augmentable and 15 durable. The full task map — every task with exactly what to do about each — is in your Career Report.

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Every task scored with what to automate, augment, or protect.

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5-10 adjacent roles with salary, demand, and reachability.

30/60/90 plan + PDF

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Safer adjacent roles

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
80% skills overlap · Moderate exposure · ~US$67,890
48
7 more safer roles with salary, demand & a reachability map — in your Career Report.
AI-augmentation kit (prompt preview) You are my AI copilot for "Document geological formations encountered during work.". I'll paste the inputs; draft the first version and flag exactly what needs my judgment, then iterate until…
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Your AI-Safe Career Report

Every task scored with what to do about it · 5–10 safer roles with salary, demand & reachability · skill-gap map · a 30/60/90-day roadmap · plus a résumé & LinkedIn rewrite · PDF.
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Important: This is an estimate of AI exposure, not a prediction that your job will disappear. It is designed to help you understand how your role may change and improve your career resilience.

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