Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas earn an average annual salary of $91,997, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. The field has seen strong growth, with employment increasing by 10.8% over recent years. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.

Key Statistics

410
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$91,997
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas workforce.

Employment Over Time

410 Workforce in 2023

The Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$91,997 Average Wage

In 2023, Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas earned an average of $91,997.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Salary distribution for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Employment Growth Projections

-8.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

782 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: -35.9%

501 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: -58.9%

This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Wage Trends by Industry

21.7% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Total, All Industry: 29.3% growth (Current: $95,065)

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 200 employees, $95,065 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 200 employees, $95,065 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Diversity

Demographic information on Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in 2023 was 410 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.

Common majors for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas workers.

Education level distribution for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Skills

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Instructing.

Required skills for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas include Mechanical, Mathematics, Administration and Management, Education and Training, Personnel and Human Resources.

Knowledge areas required for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas include Control Precision, Problem Sensitivity, Near Vision, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Multilimb Coordination.

Required abilities for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

Daily Activities

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas spend their time on activities such as Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Controlling Machines and Processes, Handling and Moving Objects, Performing General Physical Activities, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events.

Most important work activities for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas.

About

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

The average yearly wage for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas was $91,997 in 2023.

SOC Code

47-5012 - Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas reports an average salary of $91,997.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 410 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -8.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.