Horizontal drill operator vs hole digger operator

The differences between horizontal drill operators and hole digger 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 horizontal drill operator and a hole digger operator. Additionally, a hole digger operator has an average salary of $41,681, which is higher than the $38,118 average annual salary of a horizontal drill operator.

Horizontal drill operator vs hole digger operator overview

	Horizontal Drill Operator	Hole Digger Operator
Yearly salary	$38,118	$41,681
Hourly rate	$18.33	$20.04
Growth rate	7%	4%
Number of jobs	29,944	32,655
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 56%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Horizontal drill operator vs hole digger operator salary

Horizontal drill operators and hole digger operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Horizontal Drill Operator	Hole Digger Operator
Average salary	$38,118	$41,681
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $52,000	Between $30,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between horizontal drill operator and hole digger operator education

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

	Horizontal Drill Operator	Hole Digger Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 56%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Biology
Most common college	-	-

Horizontal drill operator vs hole digger operator demographics

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

	Horizontal Drill Operator	Hole Digger Operator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%	Male, 87.9% Female, 12.1%
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 horizontal drill operator and hole digger operator duties and responsibilities

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.

Hole digger operator example responsibilities.

Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Load and unload merchandise from trucksDaily equipment checksDispose of waste following DHEC regulations

Horizontal drill operator vs hole digger operator skills

Common horizontal drill operator skills

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

Common hole digger operator skills

Horizontal Drill Operator vs. similar jobs

Horizontal Drill Operator related careers

Horizontal Drill Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Operator responsibilities

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Construction and Extraction Industry
Horizontal Drill Operator
Horizontal Drill Operator vs Hole Digger Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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