Blast hole driller vs tunneling machine operator

The differences between blast hole drillers and tunneling machine 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 tunneling machine operator. Additionally, a blast hole driller has an average salary of $51,719, which is higher than the $29,347 average annual salary of a tunneling machine operator.

The top three skills for a blast hole driller include MSHA, RAN and CPR. The most important skills for a tunneling machine operator are control room, dryers, and .

Blast hole driller vs tunneling machine operator overview

	Blast Hole Driller	Tunneling Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$51,719	$29,347
Hourly rate	$24.86	$14.11
Growth rate	-	7%
Number of jobs	887	53,605
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 63%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Blast hole driller vs tunneling machine operator salary

Blast hole drillers and tunneling machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Blast Hole Driller	Tunneling Machine Operator
Average salary	$51,719	$29,347
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $80,000	Between $23,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between blast hole driller and tunneling machine operator education

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

	Blast Hole Driller	Tunneling Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 63%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Blast hole driller vs tunneling machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between blast hole drillers' and tunneling machine operators' demographics:

	Blast Hole Driller	Tunneling Machine Operator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9%	Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9%
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 tunneling machine 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.

Tunneling machine operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Record statistics on ISO documentation, and coordinate with machine technicians and electrical technicians to keep machines operating at maximum efficiency.
Record statistics on ISO documentation, and coordinate with machine technicians and electrical technicians to keep machines operating at maximum efficiency.

Blast hole driller vs tunneling machine operator skills

Common blast hole driller skills

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

Common tunneling machine operator skills

Control Room, 84%
Dryers, 16%

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Construction and Extraction Industry
Blast Hole Driller
Blast Hole Driller vs Tunneling Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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