The median annual wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $80,030 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $82,960.
Pay spans roughly $62,740 at the 10th percentile to $105,350 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $38.47 per hour. An estimated 260 people work as earth drillers, except oil and gas in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $80,030 |
| Mean (annual) | $82,960 |
| Median (hourly) | $38.47 |
| 10th percentile | $62,740 |
| 90th percentile | $105,350 |
| Employment | 260 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.