What are the main factors that influence a Drill Operator III's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Drill Operator 's salary?

A Drill Operator 's salary grows with experience: a Drill Operator I (0-1 years)earns $52,420, a Drill Operator II (1-3 years)earns $58,448, a Drill Operator III (3-5 years)earns $72,611, a Drilling Operations Team Lead (5+ years)earns $84,717, a Drilling Rig Supervisor (5+ years)earns $97,546,

What are the highest paying states for a Drill Operator III?

Drill Operator III salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Drill Operator III roles are District of Columbia $77,600, California $77,300, Massachusetts $76,300. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Drill Operator roles make?

Salaries for Drill Operator level roles vary by specialization: Directional Drill Operator/Locator: $79,899; Directional Drill Operator: $76,707; Horizontal Directional Drill Operator: $76,187; Drill Rig Operator: $71,556; Gas Plant Operator III: $70,922.

Click or scroll to view upper level job

Drill Operator III Salary in Rhode Island

How much does a Drill Operator III make in Rhode Island?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Drill Operator III in Rhode Island is $72,700 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, a Drill Operator III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $82,061
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $61,900 to $77,600
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,067

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2026 Compensation Trend

AI-Powered Talent

AI-Powered HR

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Drill Operator III Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$77,600	$6,467	$1,492	$37
Average	$72,700	$6,058	$1,398	$35
25th Percentile	$61,900	$5,158	$1,190	$30

Get accurate pay by adjusting the below factors.

Change Search Criteria

Check out Drill Operator III Job Openings in Rhode Island

Manufacturing Operator III

Ducommun - Warren, RI

Travel L&D RN

Focus Staff - KEENE, NH

Travel CCU RN

Focus Staff - BENNINGTON, VT

Physical Therapist Physical Therapy Assistant

Flex Therapy - WASILLA, AK

Search More Drill Operator III Jobs in Rhode Island

Key Factors That Influence Drill Operator III Salaries

A Drill Operator III's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Drill Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Drill Operator III's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Drill Operator I (0-1 years): $52,420
Drill Operator II (1-3 years): $58,448
Drill Operator III (3-5 years): $72,611
Drilling Operations Team Lead (5+ years): $84,717
Drilling Rig Supervisor (5+ years): $97,546

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Drill Operator I	0-1 years	$52,420
Drill Operator II	1-3 years	$58,448
Drill Operator III	3-5 years	$72,611
Drilling Operations Team Lead	5+ years	$84,717
Drilling Rig Supervisor	5+ years	$97,546

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Drill Operator III Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Drill Operator IIIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $77,600.
California: $77,300.
Massachusetts: $76,300.

District of Columbia $77,600 California $77,300 Massachusetts $76,300 Washington $76,000 New Jersey $76,000 Alaska $75,900 Connecticut $74,900 New York $74,500

Hawaii $73,200 Rhode Island $72,700 Maryland $72,300 Minnesota $71,700 Colorado $71,500 Illinois $71,400 Oregon $71,200 Delaware $71,000

New Hampshire $70,900 Virginia $70,600 Pennsylvania $69,800 Nevada $69,400 North Dakota $69,200 Michigan $69,000 Wisconsin $68,900 Vermont $68,800

Texas $68,400 Arizona $68,300 Maine $68,300 Ohio $68,200 Georgia $67,600 Indiana $67,300 Wyoming $67,200 Utah $67,100

Iowa $67,100 Kansas $66,700 Louisiana $66,600 North Carolina $66,600 Missouri $66,600 Florida $66,300 Montana $66,200 Nebraska $66,000

Kentucky $66,000 South Carolina $65,700 Tennessee $65,500 Idaho $65,400 New Mexico $64,900 Oklahoma $64,800 Alabama $64,400 South Dakota $63,700

Arkansas $63,300 West Virginia $63,100 Mississippi $62,500

Top Paying Cities for Drill Operator IIIs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

Adamsville: $73,600
Albion: $72,900
Ashaway: $73,400

Adamsville, RI $73,600 Albion, RI $72,900 Ashaway, RI $73,400 Barrington, RI $72,800 Block Island, RI $73,200 Bradford, RI $73,400 Bristol, RI $73,000 Carolina, RI $73,300

Charlestown, RI $73,300 Chepachet, RI $73,100 Clayville, RI $72,900 Coventry, RI $72,900 West Greenwich, RI $73,100 East Greenwich, RI $72,900 Exeter, RI $73,100 Fiskeville, RI $72,800

Forestdale, RI $73,300 Foster, RI $73,100 Glendale, RI $73,300 Greene, RI $73,200 Greenville, RI $72,800 Harmony, RI $72,900 Harrisville, RI $73,300 Hope, RI $72,800

Hope Valley, RI $73,400 Hopkinton, RI $73,500 Jamestown, RI $73,200 Kenyon, RI $73,300 Little Compton, RI $73,600 Manville, RI $73,000 Mapleville, RI $73,200 Newport, RI $73,300

Middletown, RI $73,300 North Kingstown, RI $73,000 North Scituate, RI $72,900 Oakland, RI $73,200 Pascoag, RI $73,300 Pawtucket, RI $72,600 Central Falls, RI $72,700 Cumberland, RI $73,100

Lincoln, RI $72,800 Portsmouth, RI $73,300 Prudence Island, RI $73,100 Rockville, RI $73,500 Saunderstown, RI $73,200 Shannock, RI $73,300 Slatersville, RI $73,300 Slocum, RI $73,200

Tiverton, RI $73,500 Wakefield, RI $73,200 Kingston, RI $73,200 Narragansett, RI $73,300 Peace Dale, RI $73,200 Warren, RI $72,900 Warwick, RI $72,700 Westerly, RI $73,400

West Kingston, RI $73,200 West Warwick, RI $72,800 Wood River Junction, RI $73,300 Woonsocket, RI $73,300 North Smithfield, RI $73,200 Wyoming, RI $73,300 Providence, RI $72,600 Cranston, RI $72,600

North Providence, RI $72,600 East Providence, RI $72,600 Riverside, RI $72,700 Rumford, RI $72,600 Smithfield, RI $72,800 Johnston, RI $72,700

Drill Operator III Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Drill Operator III salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $84,603. While startup companies pay approximate $71,613.

Drill Operator III Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$71,613
Growth Stage	51~500	$75,718
Established	501~5000	$81,725
Enterprise	5000+	$84,603

Drill Operator III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Drill Operator III's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$61,900

Average $72,700/year

$77,600

$5,158

Average $6,058/month

$6,467

$1,190

Average $1,398/week

$1,492

$30

Average $35/hour

$37

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$77,600	$6,467	$1,492	$37
Average	$72,700	$6,058	$1,398	$35
25th Percentile	$61,900	$5,158	$1,190	$30

Drill Operator III Salary Growth & Career Path

Drill Operator III

Drilling Foreman

Drilling Operations Team Lead

Drilling Operations Superintendent

Drilling Crew Foreman

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Drill Operator III, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Drill Operator III Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Drilling Foreman	$136,100	87%
Drilling Operations Team Lead	$84,800	17%

Salaries of jobs related to Drill Operator III

Find Your Next Drill Operator III Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Drill Operator III job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Cost of Living In Rhode Island

Cost of Living in Rhode Island is

3.7% Higher

than the National Average

Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.

Explore Cost of Living Calculator

Empower Your Team

Salary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.

Find Salary.com Comp Consulting

See Salary Trends in 2025

Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.

Price Your Company Jobs and Make Pay Fair

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about

Click or scroll to view lower level job