Roof Bolters, Mining
Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
What it pays
Roof Bolters, Mining earn a median of $37.76/hr — about $78,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $30.65/hr; the top 10% earn $44.63/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Roof Bolters, Mining earn a median of $37.76/hr — about $78,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $30.65/hr; the top 10% earn $44.63/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.
- Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.
- Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
- Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.
- Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.
- Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.
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
Time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 2.8% of roof bolters, mining 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
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Quick questions
- How much does a roof bolters, mining make?
- The median pay is $37.76 per hour — roughly $78,500 a year, with the real range running from about $30.65/hr (10th percentile) to $44.63/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a roof bolters, mining?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
- What does a roof bolters, mining actually do all day?
- Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts. Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported. Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
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.