Helpers--Extraction Workers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for helpers--extraction workers in the U.S. is $47,730 ($22.95 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $47,730
- Mean annual wage
- $50,620
- Median hourly wage
- $22.95
- Employment
- 6,700
6,700 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,960 | $17.77 |
| 25th percentile | $41,430 | $19.92 |
| Median (50th) | $47,730 | $22.95 |
| 75th percentile | $57,920 | $27.84 |
| 90th percentile | $68,020 | $32.70 |
Highest-paying states for helpers--extraction workers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $77,180 | 360 |
| Kentucky | $68,020 | 230 |
| Utah | $55,490 | — |
| Wyoming | $55,240 | 110 |
| New York | $54,910 | 210 |
| New Mexico | $54,840 | 130 |
| New Hampshire | $54,700 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $53,820 | — |
| California | $51,720 | 1,170 |
| Maryland | $51,020 | 80 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $36,160 median annual wage
- Colorado: $37,450 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $38,510 median annual wage
- Texas: $40,650 median annual wage
- Florida: $41,090 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Clean up work areas and remove debris after extraction activities are complete.
- Signal workers to start geological material extraction or boring.
- Organize materials to prepare for use.
- Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
- Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
- Clean and prepare sites for excavation or boring.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 15.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 54.2% |
| Some college, no degree | 20.0% |
| Associate's degree | 4.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 5.7% |
| Master's degree | 0.5% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Electricians$63,190
- Carpenters$60,580
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.