Continuous Mining Machine Operators vs Rock Splitters, Quarry: $62K vs $49K Median Pay

Continuous Mining Machine Operators vs Rock Splitters, Quarry: what changes?

Consider Continuous Mining Machine Operators if you want to operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation. Consider Rock Splitters, Quarry if you would rather separate blocks of rough dimension stone from quarry mass using jackhammers, wedges, or chop saws. Both list no formal educational credential; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Continuous Mining Machine Operators and Rock Splitters, Quarry. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

National median pay (2025): $61,810
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,400

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (14,000 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Continuous Mining Machine Operators brief

Rock Splitters, Quarry

National median pay (2025): $48,740
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 400

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (3,500 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Rock Splitters, Quarry brief

How the national numbers differ

Continuous Mining Machine Operators has the edge on median pay

Continuous Mining Machine Operators is at $61,810, compared with $48,740 for Rock Splitters, Quarry.

Rock Splitters, Quarry has the edge on projected growth

Rock Splitters, Quarry is at 5.8% projected growth, compared with 3.2% projected growth for Continuous Mining Machine Operators.

Continuous Mining Machine Operators has the edge on annual openings

Continuous Mining Machine Operators is at 1,400 annual openings, compared with 400 annual openings for Rock Splitters, Quarry.

48.3/ 100

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

42.3/ 100

Rock Splitters, Quarry

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Continuous Mining Machine Operators vs Rock Splitters, Quarry

Dimension	Continuous Mining Machine Operators	Rock Splitters, Quarry
Median pay (2025)	$61,810	$48,740
Pay percentile	51.2 percentile	29.3 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	3.2%	5.8%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,400	400
2025 employment	14,000	3,500
How you qualify	No formal educational credential; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Continuous Mining Machine Operators brief Read Rock Splitters, Quarry brief

Continuous Mining Machine Operators vs Rock Splitters, Quarry: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Continuous Mining Machine Operators

Rock Splitters, Quarry

How the national numbers differ

Continuous Mining Machine Operators has the edge on median pay

Rock Splitters, Quarry has the edge on projected growth

Continuous Mining Machine Operators has the edge on annual openings

Continuous Mining Machine Operators vs Rock Splitters, Quarry

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