Fallers build operation and control, operations monitoring and judgment and decision making skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Tree Trimmers and Pruners (86%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tree Trimmers and Pruners | 86% | $50,960 | −2% | None |
| 2 | Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | 84% | $42,770 | −18% | None |
| 3 | Rock Splitters, Quarry | 84% | $48,740 | −6% | None |
| 4 | Hoist and Winch Operators | 82% | $56,450 | +8% | None |
| 5 | Helpers--Extraction Workers | 82% | $47,730 | −8% | None |
| 6 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | 81% | $60,190 | +16% | None |
| 7 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 81% | $59,850 | +15% | None |
| 8 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | 81% | $70,070 | +34% | None |
| 9 | Riggers | 80% | $62,640 | +20% | None |
| 10 | Dredge Operators | 79% | $49,640 | −5% | None |
Compared with Fallers, median $52,100. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as fallers (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
86% skill match · $50,960 · −2% pay
Systems Analysis · Service Orientation · Instructing
84% skill match · $42,770 · −18% pay
Systems Analysis · Installation · Quality Control Analysis
84% skill match · $48,740 · −6% pay
Systems Analysis · Social Perceptiveness · Coordination
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Tree Trimmers and Pruners (86% skill match, median $50,960), Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood (84% skill match, median $42,770) and Rock Splitters, Quarry (84% skill match, median $48,740), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 12 pay more than fallers at the median. The biggest increases: Roof Bolters, Mining (+51%, $78,540), Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining (+43%, $74,500) and Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (+34%, $70,070).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.