Roof bolters, mining
SOC Code: 47-5043
Roof bolters, mining carries a 38% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $76,640 and -34.2% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 2,300 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 38% AI exposure, Roof bolters, mining sits 1 points above the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 63% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
36/100
Roof bolters, mining, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage B $76,640
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth F -34.2%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) F 38% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Roof bolters, mining in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry on a declining BLS line
Typical entry is HS / some college (333/832) while growth is Declining (111/832). This is the crowded high-risk corner of the map - automation and headcount pressure compound without a degree moat.
Where Roof bolters, mining sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Roof bolters, mining sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
38% Around the middle lower than 37% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Roof bolters, mining vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Roof bolters, mining is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Roof bolters, mining's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-5043) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Roof bolters, mining be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Roof bolters, mining. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Drill bolt holes into roofs at specified distances from ribs or adjacent bolts.
- 2. Pull down loose rock that cannot be supported.
- 3. Position bolting machines, and insert drill bits into chucks.
- 4. Perform safety checks on equipment before operating.
- 5. Perform tests to determine if methane gas is present.
- 6. Force bolts into holes, using hydraulic mechanisms of self-propelled bolting machines.
- 7. Perform ventilation tasks, such as hanging ventilation curtains and tubes.
- 8. Dust rocks after bolting.
- 9. Install various types of bolts, including truss, glue, and resin bolts, traversing entire ceiling spans.
- 10. Drill test holes and test bolts for specified tension, using torque wrenches.
Key Skills Required
- Operation and Control
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Operations Monitoring
- Troubleshooting
- Active Listening
- Equipment Maintenance
- Speaking
- Coordination
- Complex Problem Solving
Knowledge Areas
- Production and Processing
- Education and Training
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Administration and Management
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Personnel and Human Resources
- Transportation
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Roof bolters, mining?
Roof bolters, mining has an AI exposure score of 38%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Roof bolters, mining?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Roof bolters, mining is projected to decline by 34.2% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 2,300 workers.
What skills are needed for Roof bolters, mining?
Key skills for Roof bolters, mining include Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Roof bolters, mining earn?
The median annual wage for Roof bolters, mining is $76,640, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Roof bolters, mining?
The typical entry-level education for Roof bolters, mining is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Roof bolters, mining?
Roof bolters, mining roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Roof bolters, mining: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (38% here).
- Adhesive bonding machine operators and tenders · AI exposure 38%
- Coaches and scouts · AI exposure 38%
- Computer and information systems managers · AI exposure 38%
- Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers · AI exposure 38%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (-34.2% here).
- Word processors and typists · growth -36.1%
- Switchboard operators, including answering service · growth -26.3%
- Data entry keyers · growth -25.9%
- Foundry mold and coremakers · growth -25.9%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Roof bolters, mining's numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Roof bolters, mining side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).