SOC 47-5023 · Construction and Extraction Occupations · May 2025

How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?

In the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $64,360. The 10th percentile is $47,510 and the 90th percentile is $106,400. Employment is 240.

Median annual wage

$64,360

10th percentile
$47,510
25th percentile
$52,020
Median
$64,360
75th percentile
$76,220
90th percentile
$106,400
Mean
$67,690

Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.

A U.S. Air Force firefighter standing beside a fire truck
Senior Airman Stephen Czech, a firefighter at Spangdahlem Air Base, in 2021. Photograph by Staff Sgt. Susan Roberts, U.S. Air Force. Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Percentile spread

For Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas, the published 10th percentile is $47,510 and the 90th percentile is $106,400. The difference is $58,890, which is 91.5% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $52,020 to the 75th at $76,220, covers $24,200.

The mean annual wage is $67,690, which sits above the median of $64,360. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD median is 6.9% higher than the national median of $60,190 for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas. In 2024 national prices the local median is $62,757, which is 4.3% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 12.1% higher than the Pennsylvania median of $57,400.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD covers more than one state. The state comparison uses Pennsylvania, the primary state on the BLS area record.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is 102.554, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $64,360 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas at $62,757 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

6 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranks 3rd of 7 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

  • Lancaster, PA is 51 miles away, with a median of $57,870 and employment of 30. That median is 10.1% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $58,897, against $62,757 here.
  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is 98 miles away, with a median of $74,120 and employment of 530. That median is 15.2% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $65,848, against $62,757 here.
  • Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA is 103 miles away, with a median of $58,390 and employment of 40. That median is 9.3% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $62,412, against $62,757 here.

Employment share

Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas accounts for 0.01% of wage-and-salary employment in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (240 of 2,897,830). Nationally the occupation is 0.01% of employment (19,450 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.66 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.

Highest-paying jobs in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD · Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas by metro · How to read these percentiles · Median and mean · When a wage is not published · How the figures are made · Compare this wage after prices

Questions this page answers

How much do Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?

In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, released May 15, 2026, the median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $64,360. The 10th percentile is $47,510 and the 90th percentile is $106,400. Employment is 240.

How does that compare with the national median for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?

The local median is 6.9% higher than the national median of $60,190.

What is Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD after local prices?

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is 102.554, with the United States at 100. In those national prices, the May 2025 median of $64,360 is $62,757. The wage is May 2025 and the parity is 2024.

How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD compare with nearby metros for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas?

Lancaster, PA is the closest metropolitan area within 200 miles with a published annual median, 51 miles away, at $57,870. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ranks 3rd of 7 metros within 200 miles on that median. Distances use Census Bureau internal points.