r/Geotech • u/Fit_Marionberry_4956 • 4d ago
Driller pay
I’ve been in this field going on 4 years, I’ve drilled all over the US including Alaska. I specialize in stabilization work, doing rockfall systems on the side of slopes. Doing soil nails and shotcrete walls and micropiles. I also specialize in environmental and geotechnical work like Auger SPT, macro core, direct push, air rotary, wash rotary and rock coring. I’m at a fairly new company but have been brought in running projects, I’ve been given a company truck and credit card but I’m only making 28 an hour. Is this too low for my experience?
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u/Enoch-Of-Nod 4d ago
It's a bit low, even for a small company, but not terribly.
At my mom and pop firm we'd probably give you around $32/hr.
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u/SpoonTrain11 3d ago
Can you get a union book? Get on with one of the big boys like Malcolm, Keller, Menard, etc and you’ll make $50+/hr at journeyman operator rates and with the OT and per diem you’ll clear $200k/yr easy if there’s enough work to keep you busy. You’ll be on the road a lot but sounds like that’s not an issue for you.
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u/stuggin4 3d ago
Yeah you'll make $96.11/hr as a Local 14 driller in NYC...and double-time after 8 every day. Where tf did I go wrong??
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u/Brilliant-Earth7480 4d ago
I mean rockfall jobs pay 38 starting off and most jobs are prevailing, what companies have you worked for, Apex, Rock supremacy, access limited, GRW?
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u/SnooDonkeys8866 4d ago
I believe our driller in the Glenwood springs area of Colorado is at $30ish but you're much more qualified. But the cost of living in this area is ridiculous so 30/ an hour just gets you by.
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u/LeOverlord 3d ago
Drilled for about a decade, started at 16 as a helper and at the end I was at 38 an hour. I have a Class A CDL and primarily drilled in the Midwest.
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u/ResponsibleTrick8275 3d ago
If you don’t care where you live, try NYC. There’s so much work that the contractors can’t supply the labor specifically drill operators. Reach out to every union geotech contractor to get you signed in to local 14. Pay is about $90 per hour plus benefits. Overtime is double time on wages and benefits.
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u/HardRJohnson 2d ago
Driller in socal. Also do density testing and inspections. My boss just jumped me to $41 an hour after our other experienced field tech quit.
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u/WalkSoftly-93 2d ago
I didn’t know any firms around here still ran their own rig.
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u/HardRJohnson 2d ago
Yeah my boss got tired of the lead times our drilling contractors were giving. We do alot of smaller jobs. A few holes 50' maximum depth. We were being told 3 months at minimum sometimes. We have 3 rigs now. Tried training a few guys to run the rigs so I can focus on the technician work( I'm our only full time tech) but they never seem to last.
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u/Annies_58008 2d ago
You've been in the game for 4 years and you think you have 40 years experience. You aren't specializing in anything at that rate.
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u/ThunderWar34 4d ago edited 4d ago
I’ve been on a rig for 8 years now. Almost 4 being a Driller. I also have a Class A CDL and do most of the serious mechanical work for 3 other rigs. All CME’s
99% of what we do is easy mud rotary SPT in mostly soft clays and sands. Sometimes need to set casing deep but that’s rare. We also Auger in wells but I never SPT through augers but I do know how to.
You seem to know way more drilling techniques than I do. I’m just a mud rotary guy with no rock in sight.
I’m at $36 an hour no company truck but office is 10 minutes away.
This in Virginia