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Drill operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$67,890median pay per year, or $32.64 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $47,010lowest 10% earn less
  2. $53,81025th percentile
  3. $67,890median
  4. $81,36075th percentile
  5. $101,860top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

A drill operator in oil and gas had a median pay of $67,890 a year, above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow slowly, and no formal education credential is typical for entry[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0.8%[3]
Openings per year
1,100[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[4]

How much do drill operators make?

BLS calls this job Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas. In May 2025, the median wage was $67,890 a year, or $32.64 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average (mean) was $72,130 a year, or $34.68 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[2].

Pay varies a lot within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,010 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $101,860[5]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[8]. Here is the full spread.

Point Annual Hourly
10th percentile[5][9] $47,010 $22.60
25th percentile[5][9] $53,810 $25.87
Median[1] $67,890 $32.64
75th percentile[5][9] $81,360 $39.12
90th percentile[5][9] $101,860 $48.97

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10]. About 12,600 people held these jobs[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 26 states with published data, Alaska had the highest median at $85,470 a year[12]. New Mexico followed at $82,780, then Colorado at $79,830[12]. Texas had a median of $77,840[12].

Texas also had the most jobs, with 5,980[13]. Oklahoma had 1,700, Louisiana 910, New Mexico 580 and California 460[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had the highest median at $81,360[14]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX followed at $79,450[14]. Houston had the most jobs of any metro area, at 2,100[15].

Show median pay in 26 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[12]$85,470130
New Mexico$82,780580
Colorado$79,830110
Nebraska$79,14040
Texas$77,8405,980
North Dakota$71,280230
Utah$70,400n/a
Alabama$67,40040
Mississippi$67,290130
New York$67,00050
California$65,520460
Ohio$63,600290
Arizona$62,92030
Florida$61,970180
Pennsylvania$61,780390
Virginia$61,410110
Wyoming$61,000200
Kansas$60,600130
Tennessee$58,78040
North Carolina$57,76050
West Virginia$57,020240
Oklahoma$55,1601,700
Michigan$54,02070
Louisiana$49,410910
Kentucky$38,52030
Arkansas$37,70070

How to become a drill operator

The path is mostly learned at work. The details below come from a profile that covers a wider group of oil and gas workers[16].

Some oil and gas workers, including drillers, need a commercial driver's license to move equipment, and state rules differ[21]. Employers may also require safety certification that meets OSHA guidelines[22].

In an O*NET survey of 23 workers, 31% said the job requires less than a high school diploma[23]. Another 29% said a high school diploma or the equivalent, and 22% said some college courses[23]. A survey this small is only a rough guide.

What drill operators do

O*NET describes the job as setting up or running drills to bring up oil and gas, or to pull core samples during exploration[24]. Common tasks include:

Where they work

In the wider oil and gas worker group, 72% of jobs were in support activities for mining in 2025[26]. The work is often outdoors in all weather, and workers may travel to remote areas. Some work at great heights or in confined spaces, and the work can be physically demanding and noisy[27]. Workers usually wear protective gear such as hardhats, hearing and eye protection, and safety harnesses[28].

Most workers in the wider group are full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week[29]. Crews in remote areas or on offshore rigs may be away from home for weeks at a time and work long shifts[29]. Only 0.5% of drill operators were self-employed in 2025[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 0.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 12,700 to 12,900 jobs[3]. That compares with 3.5% growth for all occupations[31]. These counts include self-employed workers[3], so they differ from the OEWS job count of 12,600[11].

About 1,100 openings are projected each year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that come open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.4% of workers leave the labor force and 6.1% move to a different occupation[32].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is above the all-occupations median, and the typical entry path does not require a degree[1][2][4]. The range is wide, from $47,010 at the 10th percentile to $101,860 at the 90th[5]. Pay also differs by state, with medians from $37,700 in Arkansas to $85,470 in Alaska[12]. Growth is slow at 0.8%, so most openings come from workers leaving rather than new jobs[3][6][32]. The work can involve travel, heights and long shifts, so it suits people comfortable with those conditions[27][29].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a drill operator make an hour?
The median was $32.64 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $22.60 and the 90th was $48.97[9].
What degree do you need to be a drill operator?
BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical requirement, with moderate-term on-the-job training[4]. Some employers prefer a high school diploma or the equivalent[17].
Is drill operator a job in demand?
BLS projects 0.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 1,100 openings a year[3][31][6].
What is the highest paying state for drill operators?
Alaska had the highest median at $85,470 a year, followed by New Mexico at $82,780[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in the US was $67,890 per year and $32.64 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas is projected to grow 0.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 12,700 to 12,900 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas: 10th percentile $47,010, 25th percentile $53,810, 75th percentile $81,360, 90th percentile $101,860. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,100 openings for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas was $72,130 per year and $34.68 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas: 10th percentile $22.60, 25th percentile $25.87, 75th percentile $39.12, 90th percentile $48.97. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 12,600 people were employed as Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas jobs: Texas 5,980; Oklahoma 1,700; Louisiana 910; New Mexico 580; California 460. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (areas with at least 100 jobs): Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $81,360; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $79,450; Midland, TX $78,260; Bakersfield-Delano, CA $75,660; Odessa, TX $59,560; Tulsa, OK $56,160; Oklahoma City, OK $55,160; Lafayette, LA $49,190. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 2,100 (median $79,450); Oklahoma City, OK 1,040 (median $55,160); Midland, TX 490 (median $78,260); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 470 (median $81,360); Lafayette, LA 400 (median $49,190); Odessa, TX 230 (median $59,560). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Oil and Gas Workers" covers Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 47-5012.00 survey of workers (23 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 31%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 29%, Some College Courses 22%, Post-Secondary Certificate 9%, Bachelor's Degree 9% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas. O*NET OnLine
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of oil and gas workers in 2025: Support activities for mining 72%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: 0.5% of Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas: 2.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.