Construction and Extraction Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 47-5051

Rock Splitters, Quarry

Median pay sits 34% below the mid peer in Construction and Extraction Occupations (neighbors include Boilermakers, Brickmasons and Blockmasons, Terrazzo Workers and Finishers, Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Rock Splitters, Quarry: Boilermakers ($76K) , Brickmasons and Blockmasons ($62K) , Terrazzo Workers and Finishers ($76K) , Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators ($70K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Rock Splitters, Quarry publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 47-5051 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Cut slabs of stone into sheets that will be used for floors or counters
  2. 2. Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut
  3. 3. Set charges of explosives to split rock
  4. 4. Drill holes along outlines, using jackhammers
  5. 5. Drill holes into sides of stones broken from masses, insert dogs or attach slings, and direct removal of stones
  6. 6. Remove pieces of stone from larger masses, using jackhammers, wedges, and other tools
  7. 7. Insert wedges and feathers into holes, and drive wedges with sledgehammers to split stone sections from masses
  8. 8. Mark dimensions or outlines on stone prior to cutting, using rules and chalk lines
  9. 9. Cut grooves along outlines, using chisels

Rock Splitters, Quarry: O*NET ranks Operation and Control first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 47-5051 - lead skill Operation and Control at 3.3 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operation and Control 3.3
  2. 2. Operations Monitoring 3.1
  3. 3. Active Listening 3.0
  4. 4. Monitoring 2.9
  5. 5. Reading Comprehension 2.8
  6. 6. Critical Thinking 2.8
  7. 7. Coordination 2.8
  8. 8. Complex Problem Solving 2.8

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.0
  2. 2. Mechanical 2.9
  3. 3. Mathematics 2.8
  4. 4. Education and Training 2.8
  5. 5. Public Safety and Security 2.8
  6. 6. Administration and Management 2.7
Pay vs Construction and Extraction Occupations peers
-34%
vs mid peer median $73,300
This role $48,740/yr
$49K
National median
↑ +4%
Growth 2024-2034
400
Annual openings
3,320
Estimated US jobs
Boilermakers
Highest-pay peer · $76K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education No formal educational credential

Top Paying States for Rock Splitters, Quarry

1. Vermont $65,420
2. Wisconsin $62,000
3. Missouri $60,990
4. Pennsylvania $48,580
5. Oregon $59,760
6. California $61,620
7. Indiana $49,890
8. Massachusetts $66,000
9. North Carolina $56,320
10. Minnesota $57,970

Other Construction and Extraction Occupations titles

  1. 1. Terrazzo Workers and Finishers $76,170
  2. 2. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators $70,070
  3. 3. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $63,800
  4. 4. Brickmasons and Blockmasons $62,120
  5. 5. Construction and Building Inspectors $74,690
  6. 6. Boilermakers $76,410

Among Construction and Extraction Occupations peers on this card, Rock Splitters, Quarry sits 34% below the mid peer median ($73,300). Its own median is $48,740.

Employment Projections expect +4% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 400 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Vermont at $65,420. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Boilermakers at $76,410. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Rock Splitters, Quarry pay-rank #49 in Construction and Extraction Occupations

On the Construction and Extraction Occupations median table (60 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Rock Splitters, Quarry lands at #49, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 47-5051 · national median $48,740 · lower third of Construction and Extraction Occupations (#49/60). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Rock Splitters, Quarry salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 47-5051

Vermont · top state for Rock Splitters, Quarry

$65K published median

Wisconsin · #2 state pay

$62K · behind Vermont

Boilermakers

Highest-pay peer vs Rock Splitters, Quarry · $76K

Brickmasons and Blockmasons

Lower-pay peer beside Rock Splitters, Quarry · $62K

Compare Rock Splitters, Quarry

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Rock Splitters, Quarry with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Rock Splitters, Quarry

Against another occupation

Boilermakers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Rock Splitters, Quarry land on the Construction and Extraction Occupations median table? ▼
Rock Splitters, Quarry is pay-rank #49 of 60 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Pipelayers ($49K), Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall ($49K), Painters, Construction and Maintenance ($49K), Hazardous Materials Removal Workers ($49K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do rock splitters, quarry do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Rock Splitters, Quarry. Leading ones include: Cut slabs of stone into sheets that will be used for floors or counters; Locate grain line patterns to determine how rocks will split when cut; Set charges of explosives to split rock; Drill holes along outlines, using jackhammers. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for rock splitters, quarry? ▼
For SOC 47-5051, O*NET importance scores lead with Operation and Control (3.3), Operations Monitoring (3.1), Active Listening (3.0), Monitoring (2.9). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Rock Splitters, Quarry? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $48,740 as the national median for Rock Splitters, Quarry. The published 10th-90th range is $37,340 to $67,710. Beside Boilermakers ($76,410), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Rock Splitters, Quarry? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Rock Splitters, Quarry is +4%. Projected annual openings: about 400. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Rock Splitters, Quarry? ▼
BLS assigns No formal educational credential as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Rock Splitters, Quarry. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Rock Splitters, Quarry? ▼
Vermont ($65,420), Wisconsin ($62,000), Missouri ($60,990) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Rock Splitters, Quarry card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 47-5051. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Rock Splitters, Quarry. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics