Tunneling machine operator vs horizontal drill operator

The differences between tunneling machine operators 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 tunneling machine operator and a horizontal drill operator. Additionally, a horizontal drill operator has an average salary of $38,118, which is higher than the $29,347 average annual salary of a tunneling machine operator.

The top three skills for a tunneling machine operator include control room, dryers and . The most important skills for a horizontal drill operator are CDL, directional drill, and fiber optic.

Tunneling machine operator vs horizontal drill operator overview

	Tunneling Machine Operator	Horizontal Drill Operator
Yearly salary	$29,347	$38,118
Hourly rate	$14.11	$18.33
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	53,605	29,944
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 63%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Tunneling machine operator vs horizontal drill operator salary

Tunneling machine operators and horizontal drill operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tunneling Machine Operator	Horizontal Drill Operator
Average salary	$29,347	$38,118
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $36,000	Between $27,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between tunneling machine operator and horizontal drill operator education

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

	Tunneling Machine Operator	Horizontal Drill Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 63%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	General Studies	Criminal Justice
Most common college	-	-

Tunneling machine operator vs horizontal drill operator demographics

Here are the differences between tunneling machine operators' and horizontal drill operators' demographics:

	Tunneling Machine Operator	Horizontal Drill Operator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9%	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 tunneling machine operator and horizontal drill operator duties and responsibilities

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.

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.

Tunneling machine operator vs horizontal drill operator skills

Common tunneling machine operator skills

Control Room, 84%
Dryers, 16%

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
Tunneling Machine Operator
Tunneling Machine Operator vs Horizontal Drill Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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