What are the main factors that influence a Rig Hand I's salary?

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

How does experience change A Rig Hand 's salary?

A Rig Hand 's salary grows with experience: a Rig Hand I (0-1 years)earns $47,729, a Drill Operator II (1-3 years)earns $53,226, a Drill Operator III (3-5 years)earns $66,120, a Drilling Operations Team Lead (5+ years)earns $77,139, a Drilling Rig Supervisor (5+ years)earns $88,825,

What are the highest paying states for a Rig Hand I?

Rig Hand I salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Rig Hand I roles are District of Columbia $55,980, California $55,770, Massachusetts $55,020. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Rig Hand roles make?

Salaries for Rig Hand level roles vary by specialization: Workover Rig Hand: $78,874; Rig Hand III: $70,040; Rig Operator III: $70,035; Floor Hand: $65,900; Rig Hand: $58,262.

Rig Hand I Salary in Montana

How much does a Rig Hand I make in Montana?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Rig Hand I in Montana is $47,730 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.

However, a Rig Hand I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $58,791
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $42,390 to $53,520
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $37,528

10% $37,528

50% (Median) $47,730

90% $58,791

Rig Hand I Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$53,520	$4,460	$1,029	$26
Average	$47,730	$3,978	$918	$23
25th Percentile	$42,390	$3,533	$815	$20

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Key Factors That Influence Rig Hand I Salaries

A Rig Hand I'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 Rig Hand Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Rig Hand I'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:

Rig Hand I (0-1 years): $47,729
Drill Operator II (1-3 years): $53,226
Drill Operator III (3-5 years): $66,120
Drilling Operations Team Lead (5+ years): $77,139
Drilling Rig Supervisor (5+ years): $88,825

Job Role	Years of Experience	Average Salary
Rig Hand I	0-1 years	$47,729
Drill Operator II	1-3 years	$53,226
Drill Operator III	3-5 years	$66,120
Drilling Operations Team Lead	5+ years	$77,139
Drilling Rig Supervisor	5+ years	$88,825

View as Graph

How Do Rig Hand I 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 Rig Hand Is. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $55,980.
California: $55,770.
Massachusetts: $55,020.

District of Columbia $55,980 California $55,770 Massachusetts $55,020 Washington $54,820 New Jersey $54,800 Alaska $54,730 Connecticut $54,030 New York $53,750

Hawaii $52,850 Rhode Island $52,420 Maryland $52,130 Minnesota $51,740 Colorado $51,590 Illinois $51,540 Oregon $51,340 Delaware $51,200

New Hampshire $51,110 Virginia $50,910 Pennsylvania $50,330 Nevada $50,040 North Dakota $49,940 Michigan $49,790 Wisconsin $49,740 Vermont $49,620

Texas $49,320 Maine $49,300 Arizona $49,270 Ohio $49,230 Georgia $48,770 Indiana $48,530 Wyoming $48,490 Utah $48,420

Iowa $48,390 Kansas $48,140 Louisiana $48,070 North Carolina $48,050 Missouri $48,040 Florida $47,840 Montana $47,730 Nebraska $47,630

Kentucky $47,580 South Carolina $47,380 Tennessee $47,250 Idaho $47,200 New Mexico $46,830 Oklahoma $46,750 Alabama $46,450 South Dakota $45,950

Arkansas $45,680 West Virginia $45,530 Mississippi $45,090

Top Paying Cities for Rig Hand Is

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:

Absarokee: $47,440
Acton: $48,590
Ashland: $47,410

Absarokee, MT $47,440 Acton, MT $48,590 Ashland, MT $47,410 Ballantine, MT $48,520 Bearcreek, MT $47,440 Belfry, MT $47,480 Bighorn, MT $47,330 Big Timber, MT $47,400

Birney, MT $47,370 Boyd, MT $47,870 Bridger, MT $47,680 Broadview, MT $48,320 Busby, MT $47,430 Clyde Park, MT $47,410 Columbus, MT $47,800 Cooke City, MT $47,320

Crow Agency, MT $47,470 Custer, MT $47,480 Decker, MT $47,420 Edgar, MT $48,410 Emigrant, MT $47,410 Fishtail, MT $47,370 Fromberg, MT $48,220 Gardiner, MT $47,410

Garryowen, MT $47,450 Grass Range, MT $47,360 Greycliff, MT $47,410 Hardin, MT $47,860 Fort Smith, MT $47,710 Harlowton, MT $47,390 Huntley, MT $48,760 Hysham, MT $47,350

Ingomar, MT $47,260 Joliet, MT $48,230 Lame Deer, MT $47,450 Laurel, MT $48,740 Lavina, MT $47,520 Livingston, MT $47,470 Lodge Grass, MT $47,480 Mc Leod, MT $47,300

Martinsdale, MT $47,340 Melstone, MT $47,350 Melville, MT $47,320 Molt, MT $48,460 Mosby, MT $47,290 Musselshell, MT $47,340 Nye, MT $47,360 Otter, MT $47,410

Park City, MT $48,410 Pompeys Pillar, MT $48,220 Pray, MT $47,380 Pryor, MT $48,240 Rapelje, MT $47,690 Red Lodge, MT $47,450 Reed Point, MT $47,390 Roberts, MT $47,650

Roscoe, MT $47,350 Roundup, MT $47,440 Ryegate, MT $47,340 Saint Xavier, MT $47,670 Sanders, MT $47,410 Sand Springs, MT $47,290 Shawmut, MT $47,330 Shepherd, MT $48,540

Silver Gate, MT $47,450 Springdale, MT $47,380 Sumatra, MT $47,290 Teigen, MT $47,360 Two Dot, MT $47,320 Wilsall, MT $47,370 Winnett, MT $47,330 Worden, MT $48,160

Wyola, MT $47,500 Billings, MT $48,800 Baker, MT $47,570 Wolf Point, MT $47,410 Antelope, MT $47,470 Bainville, MT $47,630 Brockton, MT $47,390 Brockway, MT $47,320

Circle, MT $47,360 Crane, MT $47,660 Culbertson, MT $47,490 Dagmar, MT $47,510 Fairview, MT $47,650 Flaxville, MT $47,350 Fort Peck, MT $47,330 Frazer, MT $47,380

Froid, MT $47,430 Glasgow, MT $47,410 Saint Marie, MT $47,610 Glentana, MT $47,330 Hinsdale, MT $47,320 Homestead, MT $47,430 Lambert, MT $47,400 Larslan, MT $47,320

Medicine Lake, MT $47,420 Nashua, MT $47,380 Opheim, MT $47,310 Outlook, MT $47,380 Peerless, MT $47,320 Plentywood, MT $47,460 Poplar, MT $47,420 Raymond, MT $47,420

Redstone, MT $47,320 Reserve, MT $47,370 Richey, MT $47,340 Richland, MT $47,320 Saco, MT $47,340 Savage, MT $47,480 Scobey, MT $47,390 Sidney, MT $47,660

Vandalia, MT $47,340 Vida, MT $47,350 Westby, MT $47,500 Whitetail, MT $47,310 Miles City, MT $47,410 Alzada, MT $47,370 Angela, MT $47,290 Alberton, MT $47,360

Arlee, MT $47,370 Bonner, MT $47,360 Charlo, MT $47,390 Clinton, MT $47,390 Condon, MT $47,310 Conner, MT $47,400 Corvallis, MT $47,460 Darby, MT $47,310

De Borgia, MT $47,210 Dixon, MT $47,350 Drummond, MT $47,370 Florence, MT $47,450 Frenchtown, MT $47,430 Grantsdale, MT $47,440 Hall, MT $47,360 Hamilton, MT $47,440

Pinesdale, MT $47,550 Haugan, MT $47,200 Helmville, MT $47,270 Heron, MT $47,220 Hot Springs, MT $47,300 Huson, MT $47,370 Lolo, MT $47,420 Lonepine, MT $47,320

Milltown, MT $47,540 Noxon, MT $47,200 Ovando, MT $47,260 Pablo, MT $47,560 Paradise, MT $47,370 Philipsburg, MT $47,360 Plains, MT $47,340 Polson, MT $47,410

Ravalli, MT $47,380 Ronan, MT $47,420 Saint Ignatius, MT $47,400 Saint Regis, MT $47,300 Saltese, MT $47,180 Seeley Lake, MT $47,390 Stevensville, MT $47,460 Sula, MT $47,290

Superior, MT $47,340 Thompson Falls, MT $47,270 Trout Creek, MT $47,230 Victor, MT $47,430 Kalispell, MT $47,450 Big Arm, MT $47,390 Bigfork, MT $47,390 Columbia Falls, MT $47,450

Coram, MT $47,390 Dayton, MT $47,390 Elmo, MT $47,340 Essex, MT $47,310 Eureka, MT $47,400 Fortine, MT $47,350 Hungry Horse, MT $47,500 Kila, MT $47,350

Lake Mc Donald, MT $47,390 Lakeside, MT $47,430 Libby, MT $47,330 Marion, MT $47,320 Martin City, MT $47,420 Olney, MT $47,310 Polebridge, MT $47,230 Proctor, MT $47,330

Rexford, MT $47,360 Rollins, MT $47,350 Somers, MT $47,420 Stryker, MT $47,310 Trego, MT $47,340 Troy, MT $47,200 West Glacier, MT $47,250 Whitefish, MT $47,420

Bloomfield, MT $47,370 Boyes, MT $47,380 Broadus, MT $47,400 Brusett, MT $47,320 Capitol, MT $47,280 Cohagen, MT $47,300 Colstrip, MT $47,500 Ekalaka, MT $47,390

Fallon, MT $47,440 Forsyth, MT $47,370 Glendive, MT $47,530 Hammond, MT $47,350 Hathaway, MT $47,410 Ismay, MT $47,370 Jordan, MT $47,330 Kinsey, MT $47,390

Lindsay, MT $47,330 Mildred, MT $47,440 Olive, MT $47,340 Plevna, MT $47,480 Powderville, MT $47,290 Rosebud, MT $47,310 Terry, MT $47,350 Volborg, MT $47,320

Wibaux, MT $47,510 Willard, MT $47,490 Great Falls, MT $45,370 Malmstrom A F B, MT $45,370 Augusta, MT $47,310 Babb, MT $47,330 Belt, MT $45,920 Black Eagle, MT $45,370

Brady, MT $46,860 Browning, MT $47,390 Buffalo, MT $47,360 Bynum, MT $47,350 Carter, MT $46,160 Cascade, MT $46,790 Choteau, MT $47,350 Coffee Creek, MT $47,360

Conrad, MT $47,400 Cut Bank, MT $47,360 Denton, MT $47,350 Dupuyer, MT $47,310 Dutton, MT $46,330 East Glacier Park, MT $47,290 Ethridge, MT $47,300 Fairfield, MT $46,980

Floweree, MT $45,460 Forest Grove, MT $47,340 Fort Benton, MT $47,010 Fort Shaw, MT $45,990 Galata, MT $47,320 Geraldine, MT $47,340 Geyser, MT $46,990 Heart Butte, MT $47,390

Highwood, MT $45,990 Hilger, MT $47,360 Hobson, MT $47,360 Judith Gap, MT $47,350 Kevin, MT $47,350 Ledger, MT $47,330 Lewistown, MT $47,440 Loma, MT $47,340

Lothair, MT $47,330 Moccasin, MT $47,370 Monarch, MT $46,840 Moore, MT $47,390 Neihart, MT $47,190 Oilmont, MT $47,320 Pendroy, MT $47,310 Power, MT $45,810

Raynesford, MT $46,790 Roy, MT $47,310 Sand Coulee, MT $45,370 Shelby, MT $47,400 Simms, MT $46,350 Stanford, MT $47,360 Stockett, MT $45,840 Sunburst, MT $47,360

Sun River, MT $45,750 Sweet Grass, MT $47,330 Biddle, MT $47,410 Ulm, MT $45,390 Valier, MT $47,360 Vaughn, MT $45,560 Winifred, MT $47,340 Havre, MT $47,430

Big Sandy, MT $47,350 Box Elder, MT $47,440 Chester, MT $47,360 Chinook, MT $47,360 Dodson, MT $47,350 Gildford, MT $47,340 Harlem, MT $47,400 Hays, MT $47,420

Hingham, MT $47,340 Hogeland, MT $47,330 Inverness, MT $47,330 Joplin, MT $47,340 Kremlin, MT $47,340 Lloyd, MT $47,270 Loring, MT $47,310 Malta, MT $47,370

Rudyard, MT $47,350 Turner, MT $47,340 Whitewater, MT $47,320 Whitlash, MT $47,290 Zortman, MT $47,380 Zurich, MT $47,310 Helena, MT $45,240 Basin, MT $46,220

Boulder, MT $46,730 Canyon Creek, MT $45,740 Clancy, MT $45,310 East Helena, MT $45,210 Fort Harrison, MT $45,210 Jefferson City, MT $45,640 Lincoln, MT $47,350 Marysville, MT $45,690

Radersburg, MT $46,810 Ringling, MT $47,300 Toston, MT $46,990 Townsend, MT $46,290 White Sulphur Springs, MT $47,160 Winston, MT $45,730 Wolf Creek, MT $46,700 Butte, MT $47,350

Alder, MT $47,330 Anaconda, MT $47,450 Avon, MT $46,190 Belgrade, MT $47,510 Bozeman, MT $47,540 Big Sky, MT $47,500 Cameron, MT $47,300 Cardwell, MT $47,400

Deer Lodge, MT $47,060 Dell, MT $47,170 Dillon, MT $47,370 Divide, MT $47,360 Elliston, MT $45,810 Ennis, MT $47,430 Gallatin Gateway, MT $47,410 Garrison, MT $46,830

Glen, MT $47,350 Gold Creek, MT $47,140 Harrison, MT $47,420 Jackson, MT $47,230 Lima, MT $47,210 Mc Allister, MT $47,420 Manhattan, MT $47,500 Melrose, MT $47,360

Norris, MT $47,360 Polaris, MT $47,300 Pony, MT $47,430 Ramsay, MT $47,450 Sheridan, MT $47,440 Silver Star, MT $47,440 Three Forks, MT $47,460 Twin Bridges, MT $47,400

Virginia City, MT $47,420 Warm Springs, MT $47,450 West Yellowstone, MT $47,390 Whitehall, MT $47,450 Willow Creek, MT $47,440 Wisdom, MT $47,240 Wise River, MT $47,330 Missoula, MT $47,610

Rig Hand I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Rig Hand I salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $55,456. While startup companies pay approximate $46,970.

Rig Hand I Salary by Company Size

Company Size	Employees	Average Salary
Startup	1~50	$46,970
Growth Stage	51~500	$49,656
Established	501~5000	$53,573
Enterprise	5000+	$55,456

Rig Hand I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Rig Hand I'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.

$42,390

Average $47,730/year

$53,520

$3,533

Average $3,978/month

$4,460

$815

Average $918/week

$1,029

$20

Average $23/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$53,520	$4,460	$1,029	$26
Average	$47,730	$3,978	$918	$23
25th Percentile	$42,390	$3,533	$815	$20

Rig Hand I Salary Growth & Career Path

Rig Hand I

Next Role

Advancement

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Rig Hand I, 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.

Rig Hand I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Drilling Foreman	$124,000	160%
Derrickhand	$73,800	55%
Drill Operator II	$53,300	12%

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Rig Hand I Salary in Montana

How much does a Rig Hand I make in Montana?

Key Factors That Influence Rig Hand I Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Rig Hand Salaries?

How Do Rig Hand I Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Rig Hand Is

Rig Hand I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Rig Hand I Salary by Company Size

Rig Hand I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Rig Hand I Salary Growth & Career Path

Find Your Next Rig Hand I Job

For Employees

For Employers

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Rig Hand I Salary in Montana

How much does a Rig Hand I make in Montana?

Key Factors That Influence Rig Hand I Salaries

How Experience Level Affects Rig Hand Salaries?

How Do Rig Hand I Salaries Vary from State to State?

Top Paying Cities for Rig Hand Is

Rig Hand I Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Rig Hand I Salary by Company Size

Rig Hand I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Rig Hand I Salary Growth & Career Path

Salaries of Jobs related to Rig Hand I

Find Your Next Rig Hand I Job

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For Employers

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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