Roof Bolters, Mining Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for roof bolters, mining in the U.S. is $78,540 ($37.76 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $78,540
- Mean annual wage
- $78,100
- Median hourly wage
- $37.76
- Employment
- 2,160
2,160 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $63,750 | $30.65 |
| 25th percentile | $71,390 | $34.32 |
| Median (50th) | $78,540 | $37.76 |
| 75th percentile | $81,860 | $39.36 |
| 90th percentile | $92,830 | $44.63 |
Highest-paying states for roof bolters, mining
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $116,570 | 100 |
| Illinois | $81,860 | 200 |
| Colorado | $81,270 | 40 |
| West Virginia | $79,400 | 970 |
| Virginia | $78,260 | 110 |
| Kentucky | $72,510 | 120 |
| Alabama | $67,020 | 80 |
Lowest-paying states
- Alabama: $67,020 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $72,510 median annual wage
- Virginia: $78,260 median annual wage
- West Virginia: $79,400 median annual wage
- Colorado: $81,270 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
Typical tasks
- Install various types of bolts, including truss, glue, and resin bolts, traversing entire ceiling spans.
- Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
- Rotate chucks to turn bolts and open expansion heads against rock formations.
- Position safety jacks to support underground mine roofs until bolts can be installed.
- Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
- Drill test holes and test bolts for specified tension, using torque wrenches.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 15.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 51.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 20.1% |
| Associate's degree | 8.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.6% |
| Master's degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
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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.