Blast hole driller vs horizontal drill operator

The differences between blast hole drillers and horizontal drill operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a blast hole driller and a horizontal drill operator. Additionally, a blast hole driller has an average salary of $51,719, which is higher than the $38,118 average annual salary of a horizontal drill operator.

The top three skills for a blast hole driller include MSHA, RAN and CPR. The most important skills for a horizontal drill operator are CDL, directional drill, and fiber optic.

Blast hole driller vs horizontal drill operator overview

	Blast Hole Driller	Horizontal Drill Operator
Yearly salary	$51,719	$38,118
Hourly rate	$24.86	$18.33
Growth rate	-	7%
Number of jobs	887	29,944
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Blast hole driller vs horizontal drill operator salary

Blast hole drillers and horizontal drill operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Blast Hole Driller	Horizontal Drill Operator
Average salary	$51,719	$38,118
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $80,000	Between $27,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between blast hole driller and horizontal drill operator education

There are a few differences between a blast hole driller and a horizontal drill operator in terms of educational background:

	Blast Hole Driller	Horizontal Drill Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Blast hole driller vs horizontal drill operator demographics

Here are the differences between blast hole drillers' and horizontal drill operators' demographics:

	Blast Hole Driller	Horizontal Drill Operator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9%	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 0.8% White, 74.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 0.8% White, 74.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between blast hole driller and horizontal drill operator duties and responsibilities

Blast hole driller example responsibilities.

Provide leadership and guidance to direct reports, and manage their efforts to maximize their contribution to operational effectiveness and performance.
Drill, blast, run some equipment as needed
Operate hoists to lift power line poles into position.
Maintain and follow MSHA and company rules and policies while on duty.
Pump water from pit, set up light plants, and move trail cable for earth-moving shovels.
Plan layout, drill shots, MSHA federal inspections, keep and maintain powder magazines and need inventory paperwork.

Horizontal drill operator example responsibilities.

Maintain fluid weights by careful mixing of chemicals using PPE and careful mathematical calculations in collaboration with engineers.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.

Blast hole driller vs horizontal drill operator skills

Common blast hole driller skills

MSHA, 46%
RAN, 12%
CPR, 9%
Construction Sites, 8%
CDL, 7%
Drill Bits, 6%

Common horizontal drill operator skills

CDL, 72%
Directional Drill, 23%
Fiber Optic, 3%
Hand Holes, 1%
Routine Maintenance, 0%

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Construction and Extraction Industry
Blast Hole Driller
Blast Hole Driller vs Horizontal Drill Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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