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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

47-5011 Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.


National estimates for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
Industry profile for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
Geographic profile for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

National estimates for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
7,880 11.6 % $ 25.07 $ 52,140 2.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.53 $ 18.40 $ 22.71 $ 29.34 $ 37.02
Annual Wage (2) $ 36,460 $ 38,270 $ 47,230 $ 61,020 $ 77,000


Industry profile for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 4,800 2.26 $ 24.13 $ 50,180

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 4,800 2.26 $ 24.13 $ 50,180

Top paying industries for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction (8) (8) $ 29.55 $ 61,470
Support Activities for Mining 4,800 2.26 $ 24.13 $ 50,180
Utility System Construction (8) (8) $ 17.97 $ 37,380


Geographic profile for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of derrick operators, oil and gas by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 4,410 0.36 6.45 $ 24.01 $ 49,940
Louisiana 750 0.42 7.45 $ 28.34 $ 58,950
Colorado 470 0.18 3.20 $ 22.89 $ 47,600
New Mexico 410 0.53 9.45 $ 28.88 $ 60,080
Kansas 340 0.26 4.60 $ 15.00 $ 31,200


Map of location quotient of derrick operators, oil and gas by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 320 0.80 14.38 $ 29.87 $ 62,130
New Mexico 410 0.53 9.45 $ 28.88 $ 60,080
Louisiana 750 0.42 7.45 $ 28.34 $ 58,950
Wyoming 100 0.37 6.62 $ 29.86 $ 62,110
Texas 4,410 0.36 6.45 $ 24.01 $ 49,940


Map of annual mean wages of derrick operators, oil and gas by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska (8) (8) (8) $ 35.52 $ 73,880
Pennsylvania (8) (8) (8) $ 34.21 $ 71,170
North Dakota 320 0.80 14.38 $ 29.87 $ 62,130
Wyoming 100 0.37 6.62 $ 29.86 $ 62,110
Utah (8) (8) (8) $ 29.83 $ 62,040



Map of employment of derrick operators, oil and gas by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 420 4.43 79.17 $ 24.30 $ 50,540
Lafayette, LA 200 1.05 18.83 $ 25.73 $ 53,520
Odessa, TX 110 1.63 29.06 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
Longview, TX 80 0.93 16.66 $ 19.73 $ 41,050
Farmington, NM 60 1.41 25.30 $ 26.49 $ 55,090


Map of location quotient of derrick operators, oil and gas by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 420 4.43 79.17 $ 24.30 $ 50,540
Odessa, TX 110 1.63 29.06 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
Farmington, NM 60 1.41 25.30 $ 26.49 $ 55,090
Lafayette, LA 200 1.05 18.83 $ 25.73 $ 53,520
Longview, TX 80 0.93 16.66 $ 19.73 $ 41,050


Map of annual mean wages of derrick operators, oil and gas by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Anchorage, AK (8) (8) (8) $ 35.17 $ 73,160
Pittsburgh, PA (8) (8) (8) $ 34.75 $ 72,280
Bakersfield, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 26.57 $ 55,270
Farmington, NM 60 1.41 25.30 $ 26.49 $ 55,090
Lafayette, LA 200 1.05 18.83 $ 25.73 $ 53,520
Midland, TX 420 4.43 79.17 $ 24.30 $ 50,540
Odessa, TX 110 1.63 29.06 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
Longview, TX 80 0.93 16.66 $ 19.73 $ 41,050

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 370 1.99 35.58 $ 25.18 $ 52,370
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 330 0.88 15.70 $ 14.81 $ 30,810
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 310 2.93 52.48 $ 29.89 $ 62,160
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 290 2.06 36.91 $ 20.30 $ 42,220
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 260 1.77 31.65 $ 29.72 $ 61,810

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 310 2.93 52.48 $ 29.89 $ 62,160
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 290 2.06 36.91 $ 20.30 $ 42,220
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 370 1.99 35.58 $ 25.18 $ 52,370
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 110 1.83 32.77 $ 25.09 $ 52,190
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 260 1.77 31.65 $ 29.72 $ 61,810

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 40 0.47 8.33 $ 30.25 $ 62,920
Northeast Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 50 0.80 14.22 $ 30.13 $ 62,680
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 310 2.93 52.48 $ 29.89 $ 62,160
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 260 1.77 31.65 $ 29.72 $ 61,810
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 29.55 $ 61,460


About May 2021 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022