Helpers--Extraction Workers
Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area.
What it pays
Helpers--Extraction Workers earn a median of $22.95/hr — about $47,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.77/hr; the top 10% earn $32.70/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Helpers--Extraction Workers earn a median of $22.95/hr — about $47,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.77/hr; the top 10% earn $32.70/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Observe and monitor equipment operation during the extraction process to detect any problems.
- Drive moving equipment to transport materials and parts to excavation sites.
- Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
- Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
- Organize materials to prepare for use.
- Repair and maintain automotive and drilling equipment, using hand tools.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
The feel of the work
Much of the work happens outdoors. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 3.3% of helpers--extraction workers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
- Structural Iron and Steel Workers
- Electricians
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
- Construction and Building Inspectors
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
- Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters
Quick questions
- How much does a helpers--extraction worker make?
- The median pay is $22.95 per hour — roughly $47,500 a year, with the real range running from about $17.77/hr (10th percentile) to $32.70/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a helpers--extraction worker?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
- What does a helpers--extraction worker actually do all day?
- Observe and monitor equipment operation during the extraction process to detect any problems. Drive moving equipment to transport materials and parts to excavation sites. Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.