Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for rotary drill operators, oil and gas in the U.S. is $67,890 ($32.64 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $67,890
- Mean annual wage
- $72,130
- Median hourly wage
- $32.64
- Employment
- 12,600
12,600 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $47,010 | $22.60 |
| 25th percentile | $53,810 | $25.87 |
| Median (50th) | $67,890 | $32.64 |
| 75th percentile | $81,360 | $39.12 |
| 90th percentile | $101,860 | $48.97 |
Highest-paying states for rotary drill operators, oil and gas
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $85,470 | 130 |
| New Mexico | $82,780 | 580 |
| Colorado | $79,830 | 110 |
| Nebraska | $79,140 | 40 |
| Texas | $77,840 | 5,980 |
| North Dakota | $71,280 | 230 |
| Utah | $70,400 | — |
| Alabama | $67,400 | 40 |
| Mississippi | $67,290 | 130 |
| New York | $67,000 | 50 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $37,700 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $38,520 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $49,410 median annual wage
- Michigan: $54,020 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $55,160 median annual wage
About this occupation
Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
Typical tasks
- Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
- Repair or replace defective parts of machinery, such as rotary drill rigs, water trucks, air compressors, and pumps, using hand tools.
- Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
- Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
- Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
- Locate and recover lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 16.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 45.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 18.5% |
| Associate's degree | 8.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10.1% |
| Master's degree | 1.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.