Oil and gas rotary drill operator earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level oil and gas rotary drill operator earnings begin at:

$55.42 per hour

$115,270 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level oil and gas rotary drill operator earnings begin at:

$51.86 per hour

$107,870 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level oil and gas rotary drill operator earnings begin at:

$41.09 per hour

$85,470 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level oil and gas rotary drill operator earnings begin at:

$37.33 per hour

$77,640 per year

10th percentile

Starting level oil and gas rotary drill operator earnings begin at:

$31.03 per hour

$64,540 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Oil and gas rotary drill operator salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Alaska $85,470
New Mexico $82,780
Colorado $79,830
Nebraska $79,140
Texas $77,840
Indiana $71,540
North Dakota $71,280
Utah $70,400
Alabama $67,400
Mississippi $67,290
New York $67,000
California $65,520
Ohio $63,600
Arizona $62,920
Florida $61,970
Pennsylvania $61,780
Virginia $61,410
Wyoming $61,000
Kansas $60,600
Tennessee $58,780
North Carolina $57,760
West Virginia $57,020
Minnesota $56,660
Oklahoma $55,160
Maryland $55,060
Michigan $54,020
Louisiana $49,410
Montana $46,460
Illinois $44,210
Kentucky $38,520
Arkansas $37,700
Georgia $31,440

How do oil and gas rotary drill operator salaries compare to similar careers?

Oil and gas rotary drill operators earn 8% less than similar careers in Alaska. On average, they make less than biofuels production managers but more than radio mechanics.

Career Median Salary
Biofuels production manager salary $113K
Industrial production manager salary $113K
Biomass power plant manager salary $113K
Occupational health specialist salary $99K
Avionics technician salary $95K
Oil and gas rotary drill operator salary $85K
Logistician salary $87K
Aircraft mechanic salary $91K
Power plant operator salary $89K
Radio mechanic salary $79K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)