Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operators: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Stan T.Career, Overview

Oil and Gas Drill Operators

Oil and Gas Drill Operators 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.

Salary
$58940
Becoming One
Easy
Education
No degree required
Job Satisfaction
Job Growth

Personality
Interest Match



Job description

Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operators 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.

  • Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
  • Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
  • Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
  • Push levers and brake pedals to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
Read more about what does an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator really do at work and what is it like being and working as one.



Salary

Average salary
$56740 per year

Average hourly wage
$27 per hour


Oil and Gas Drill Operators with little to no experience tend to make between $32110 and $41090 while the more experienced ones can earn over $68250 per year.

Top 5 paying states Hourly Annual
AK $36 $74,290
IN $32 $67,000
CA $32 $66,630
ND $32 $66,440
WY $30 $61,510

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator is to move to a higher paying state like AK. Right now, the highest paying states for Oil and Gas Drill Operators are AK, IN, CA, ND and WY.

However, a higher pay at AK doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at AK might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.


Requirements

Recommended degree level
No degree required

We asked other Oil and Gas Drill Operators what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had less than a High School Diploma followed by a High School Diploma.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Well Drilling/Driller
Read more about how to become an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator and the degree, training and education you need.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator.

PROS
Suitable for people who likes practical and hands-on work
Suitable for people who wants to work in a supportive work environment
This career is perfect for people who love to work outdoors.
It is easy to get into this career. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Demand for this career is growing very fast
CONS
Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs
Long working hours (More than 40 hours per week)

What is the job like

Job satisfaction
93%

Is this job meaningful
80%


93% of Oil and Gas Drill Operators said they were satisfied with their job and 80% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.


Is this right for me

Best personality for this career
The Builders and The Entrepreneurs

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.



Learn more about Oil and Gas Drill Operators

Summary (You are here)
Job Description
Salary
Requirements
Quiz

Related career information

Oil and Gas Drill Operators job description, Oil and Gas Drill Operators salary, Oil and Gas Drill Operators information, what is the job of an Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operator like, pros and cons about Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operators, colleges and universities for Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operators, is Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operators the right career for me, careers in Construction and Extraction

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