Rotary Drill Operator, Oil and Gas Salary in the U.S.
Median annual pay in the U.S.
$67,890
$32.64/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,010 | $22.60 |
| 25th percentile | $53,810 | $25.87 |
| Median | $67,890 | $32.64 |
| 75th percentile | $81,360 | $39.12 |
| 90th percentile | $101,860 | $48.97 |
Employment
- Employment in the U.S.
- 12,600
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Comparison
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | ||
| 1st | $85,470 | $83,500 3rd |
| New Mexico | ||
| 2nd | $82,780 | $89,771 1st |
| Colorado | ||
| 3rd | $79,830 | $77,466 6th |
| Nebraska | ||
| 4th | $79,140 | $87,833 2nd |
| Texas | ||
| 5th | $77,840 | $80,200 4th |
| North Dakota | ||
| 6th | $71,280 | $80,127 5th |
| Utah | ||
| 7th | $70,400 | $71,209 9th |
| Alabama | ||
| 8th | $67,400 | $75,881 8th |
| Mississippi | ||
| 9th | $67,290 | $77,387 7th |
| New York | ||
| 10th | $67,000 | $62,082 18th |
| California | ||
| 11th | $65,520 | $59,176 22nd |
| Ohio | ||
| 12th | $63,600 | $68,554 10th |
| Arizona | ||
| 13th | $62,920 | $62,497 17th |
| Florida | ||
| 14th | $61,970 | $59,924 21st |
| Pennsylvania | ||
| 15th | $61,780 | $63,317 15th |
| Virginia | ||
| 16th | $61,410 | $60,739 20th |
| Wyoming | ||
| 17th | $61,000 | $65,810 12th |
| Kansas | ||
| 18th | $60,600 | $67,282 11th |
| Tennessee | ||
| 19th | $58,780 | $63,982 13th |
| North Carolina | ||
| 20th | $57,760 | $61,234 19th |
| West Virginia | ||
| 21st | $57,020 | $63,712 14th |
| Oklahoma | ||
| 22nd | $55,160 | $62,794 16th |
| Michigan | ||
| 23rd | $54,020 | $56,144 23rd |
| Louisiana | ||
| 24th | $49,410 | $56,016 24th |
| Kentucky | ||
| 25th | $38,520 | $42,725 26th |
| Arkansas | ||
| 26th | $37,700 | $43,365 25th |
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Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
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Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +0.8%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- No formal educational credential
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Last updated