SOC 47-5012 · Construction and Extraction Occupations
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, rotary drill operators, oil and gas earned a median of $67,890 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 12,600 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $85,470 | $41.09 | 130 | 0.4 |
| New Mexico | $82,780 | $39.80 | 580 | 0.7 |
| Colorado | $79,830 | $38.38 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Nebraska | $79,140 | $38.05 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Texas | $77,840 | $37.43 | 5,980 | 0.4 |
| North Dakota | $71,280 | $34.27 | 230 | 0.5 |
| Utah | $70,400 | $33.85 | Not published | Not published |
| Alabama | $67,400 | $32.41 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Mississippi | $67,290 | $32.35 | 130 | 0.1 |
| New York | $67,000 | $32.21 | 50 | 0.0 |
| California | $65,520 | $31.50 | 460 | 0.0 |
| Ohio | $63,600 | $30.58 | 290 | 0.1 |
| Arizona | $62,920 | $30.25 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Florida | $61,970 | $29.79 | 180 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,780 | $29.70 | 390 | 0.1 |
| Virginia | $61,410 | $29.52 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Wyoming | $61,000 | $29.33 | 200 | 0.7 |
| Kansas | $60,600 | $29.14 | 130 | 0.1 |
| Tennessee | $58,780 | $28.26 | 40 | 0.0 |
| North Carolina | $57,760 | $27.77 | 50 | 0.0 |
| West Virginia | $57,020 | $27.41 | 240 | 0.3 |
| Oklahoma | $55,160 | $26.52 | 1,700 | 1.0 |
| Michigan | $54,020 | $25.97 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Louisiana | $49,410 | $23.76 | 910 | 0.5 |
| Kentucky | $38,520 | $18.52 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Arkansas | $37,700 | $18.12 | 70 | 0.1 |
Pay by metro area
All 18 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | $85,470 | $41.09 | 40 | 0.2 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $81,360 | $39.11 | 470 | 0.1 |
| Tyler, TX | $79,640 | $38.29 | 80 | 0.7 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $79,450 | $38.20 | 2,100 | 0.6 |
| Midland, TX | $78,260 | $37.63 | 490 | 4.0 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $75,660 | $36.37 | 190 | 0.6 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $69,120 | $33.23 | 30 | 0.5 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $63,600 | $30.58 | 50 | 0.3 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $63,310 | $30.44 | 90 | 0.1 |
| Farmington, NM | $62,730 | $30.16 | 60 | 1.3 |
| Odessa, TX | $59,560 | $28.64 | 230 | 2.8 |
| Casper, WY | $57,750 | $27.77 | 90 | 2.1 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $57,700 | $27.74 | 40 | 0.7 |
| Abilene, TX | $56,540 | $27.18 | 50 | 0.6 |
| Tulsa, OK | $56,160 | $27.00 | 220 | 0.5 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $55,160 | $26.52 | 1,040 | 1.5 |
| Charleston, WV | $51,380 | $24.70 | 30 | 0.3 |
| Lafayette, LA | $49,190 | $23.65 | 400 | 2.2 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.