Construction and Extraction · Holland code RC
Roof Bolters, Mining
Operate machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mine.
Also called: Bolter, Roof Bolter, Roof Bolter Operator, Underground Roof Bolter, Bolt Machine Operator, Bolt Man, Miner, Place Change Roof Bolter.
O*NET 47-5043.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $78,540
- Middle half earn $71,390 to $81,860. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 87% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- 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.
- Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
- Dust rocks after bolting.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Critical Thinking3.4 / 5
- Monitoring3.3 / 5
- Active Listening3.1 / 5
- Speaking3.0 / 5
- Active Learning2.9 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.4 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing3.7 / 5
- Education and Training3.5 / 5
- Mechanical3.5 / 5
- Public Safety and Security3.5 / 5
- Administration and Management3.0 / 5
- Law and Government3.0 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative24
- Artistic0
- Social0
- Enterprising0
- Conventional39
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- mine supervisor · DE Aufsichtskraft in Bergwerken · FR superviseur de mine/superviseuse de mine
- mining equipment mechanic · DE Berg- und Maschinenmann Fachrichtung Transport und Instandhaltung/Berg und Maschinenfrau Fachrichtung Transport und Instandhaltung · FR mécanicien d’engins de mine/mécanicienne d’engins de mine
- mining electrician · DE Bergbauelektriker/Bergbauelektrikerin · FR électricien d’exploitation minière/électricienne d’exploitation minière
- surface miner · DE Tagebauarbeiter/Tagebauarbeiterin · FR mineur de surface/mineuse de surface
- underground heavy equipment operator · DE Berg- und Maschinenmann/Berg- und Maschinenfrau · FR opérateur d’équipement lourd souterrain/opératrice d’équipement lourd souterrain
- underground miner · DE Untertagearbeiter/Untertagearbeiterin · FR mineur de fond/mineuse de fond
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Rail and rolling stock builders and repairers (5236)16,800 employed
- Mining and quarry workers and related operatives (8132)9,200 employed
- Mobile machine drivers and operatives n.e.c. (8229)53,000 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €39,630 |
| Netherlands | €37,567 |
| Austria | €37,304 |
| Sweden | €36,005 |
| Germany | €34,433 |
| Ireland | €32,617 |
| France | €28,550 |
| Italy | €28,330 |
| Spain | €24,409 |
| Portugal | €11,309 |
| Poland | €10,259 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
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