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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

47-5012 Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

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. Excludes “Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas” (47-5023).


National estimates for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Industry profile for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Geographic profile for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

National estimates for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

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

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
12,190 6.4 % $ 29.06 $ 60,450 2.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.94 $ 22.23 $ 26.57 $ 35.00 $ 40.64
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,320 $ 46,250 $ 55,260 $ 72,790 $ 84,530


Industry profile for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

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

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 9,180 3.70 $ 28.33 $ 58,920
Oil and Gas Extraction 2,010 1.98 $ 33.12 $ 68,890
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 220 0.01 $ 20.22 $ 42,060
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 170 0.02 $ 34.80 $ 72,390
Utility System Construction 130 0.02 $ 26.29 $ 54,670

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

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 9,180 3.70 $ 28.33 $ 58,920
Oil and Gas Extraction 2,010 1.98 $ 33.12 $ 68,890
Metal Ore Mining 50 0.12 $ 35.22 $ 73,250
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying 30 0.03 $ 24.10 $ 50,130
Utility System Construction 130 0.02 $ 26.29 $ 54,670

Top paying industries for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Metal Ore Mining 50 0.12 $ 35.22 $ 73,250
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 170 0.02 $ 34.80 $ 72,390
Oil and Gas Extraction 2,010 1.98 $ 33.12 $ 68,890
Support Activities for Mining 9,180 3.70 $ 28.33 $ 58,920
Utility System Construction 130 0.02 $ 26.29 $ 54,670


Geographic profile for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

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



Map of employment of rotary drill operators, oil and gas by state, May 2022


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 6,110 0.47 5.70 $ 28.14 $ 58,530
Oklahoma 1,770 1.10 13.37 $ 27.11 $ 56,380
New Mexico 590 0.72 8.70 $ 32.30 $ 67,190
California 520 0.03 0.36 $ 37.23 $ 77,440
Louisiana 520 0.28 3.39 $ 32.63 $ 67,860


Map of location quotient of rotary drill operators, oil and gas by state, May 2022


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oklahoma 1,770 1.10 13.37 $ 27.11 $ 56,380
New Mexico 590 0.72 8.70 $ 32.30 $ 67,190
Alaska 210 0.69 8.42 $ 34.50 $ 71,760
North Dakota 200 0.50 6.12 $ 36.83 $ 76,610
Texas 6,110 0.47 5.70 $ 28.14 $ 58,530


Map of annual mean wages of rotary drill operators, oil and gas by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 520 0.03 0.36 $ 37.23 $ 77,440
Colorado 230 0.08 1.03 $ 37.18 $ 77,320
North Dakota 200 0.50 6.12 $ 36.83 $ 76,610
Missouri (8) (8) (8) $ 35.66 $ 74,180
Minnesota 90 0.03 0.37 $ 35.43 $ 73,700



Map of employment of rotary drill operators, oil and gas by area, May 2022


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,880 0.61 7.45 $ 31.34 $ 65,190
Midland, TX 890 8.51 103.21 $ 26.56 $ 55,250
Oklahoma City, OK 820 1.31 15.86 $ 27.25 $ 56,680
Bakersfield, CA 280 0.87 10.59 $ 37.75 $ 78,530
Tulsa, OK 240 0.57 6.92 $ 27.98 $ 58,190
Lafayette, LA 130 0.70 8.51 $ 37.88 $ 78,790
Corpus Christi, TX 120 0.63 7.66 $ 24.36 $ 50,670
San Angelo, TX 100 2.12 25.77 $ 28.87 $ 60,050
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 80 1.01 12.31 $ 34.97 $ 72,740
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 70 0.01 0.14 $ 38.11 $ 79,280


Map of location quotient of rotary drill operators, oil and gas by area, May 2022


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 890 8.51 103.21 $ 26.56 $ 55,250
San Angelo, TX 100 2.12 25.77 $ 28.87 $ 60,050
Farmington, NM 60 1.46 17.67 $ 32.16 $ 66,890
Oklahoma City, OK 820 1.31 15.86 $ 27.25 $ 56,680
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 80 1.01 12.31 $ 34.97 $ 72,740
Bakersfield, CA 280 0.87 10.59 $ 37.75 $ 78,530
Abilene, TX 50 0.76 9.24 $ 22.96 $ 47,760
Lafayette, LA 130 0.70 8.51 $ 37.88 $ 78,790
Corpus Christi, TX 120 0.63 7.66 $ 24.36 $ 50,670
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,880 0.61 7.45 $ 31.34 $ 65,190


Map of annual mean wages of rotary drill operators, oil and gas by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 70 0.01 0.14 $ 38.11 $ 79,280
Lafayette, LA 130 0.70 8.51 $ 37.88 $ 78,790
Bakersfield, CA 280 0.87 10.59 $ 37.75 $ 78,530
Anchorage, AK 70 0.41 4.95 $ 37.69 $ 78,390
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 80 1.01 12.31 $ 34.97 $ 72,740
Austin-Round Rock, TX 60 0.05 0.64 $ 34.03 $ 70,790
Farmington, NM 60 1.46 17.67 $ 32.16 $ 66,890
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,880 0.61 7.45 $ 31.34 $ 65,190
San Angelo, TX 100 2.12 25.77 $ 28.87 $ 60,050
Tulsa, OK 240 0.57 6.92 $ 27.98 $ 58,190

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 370 2.39 29.00 $ 32.54 $ 67,680
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 370 2.22 26.87 $ 26.59 $ 55,310
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 350 1.80 21.77 $ 24.73 $ 51,440
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 270 0.99 12.00 $ 23.73 $ 49,350
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 260 1.81 21.91 $ 27.44 $ 57,070

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 370 2.39 29.00 $ 32.54 $ 67,680
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 370 2.22 26.87 $ 26.59 $ 55,310
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 170 1.81 21.96 $ 27.77 $ 57,770
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 260 1.81 21.91 $ 27.44 $ 57,070
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 350 1.80 21.77 $ 24.73 $ 51,440

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Rotary Drill 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 190 1.75 21.24 $ 37.22 $ 77,420
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 370 2.39 29.00 $ 32.54 $ 67,680
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 120 1.16 14.11 $ 31.65 $ 65,830
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 30 0.23 2.77 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 90 1.12 13.58 $ 27.88 $ 57,980


About May 2022 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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023