Roof Bolters build operation and control, operations monitoring and troubleshooting 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 Riggers (82%).
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 | Riggers | 82% | $62,640 | −20% | None |
| 2 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | 82% | $70,070 | −11% | None |
| 3 | Pile Driver Operators | 81% | $73,300 | −7% | None |
| 4 | Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers | 81% | $65,380 | −17% | None |
| 5 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | 77% | $77,320 | −2% | None |
| 6 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 76% | $96,710 | +23% | None |
| 7 | Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation | 76% | $92,100Pay for the broader BLS group “Transportation Inspectors” | Not compared | None |
| 8 | Power Plant Operators | 75% | $102,040 | +30% | None |
| 9 | Rail Car Repairers | 75% | $67,530 | −14% | None |
| 10 | Structural Iron and Steel Workers | 74% | $62,780 | −20% | None |
Compared with Roof Bolters, Mining, median $78,540. 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 roof bolters (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.
82% skill match · $62,640 · −20% pay
Operations Analysis · Technology Design · Management of Personnel Resources
82% skill match · $70,070 · −11% pay
Operations Monitoring · Technology Design · Operations Analysis
81% skill match · $73,300 · −7% pay
Operations Monitoring · Operation and Control · Technology Design
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Riggers (82% skill match, median $62,640), Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (82% skill match, median $70,070) and Pile Driver Operators (81% skill match, median $73,300), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 6 pay more than roof bolters at the median. The biggest increases: Ship Engineers (+39%, $109,530), Power Plant Operators (+30%, $102,040) and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+23%, $96,710).
19 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.