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Hourly Wage for Drilling Engineer I Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Drilling Engineer I?

As of April 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Drilling Engineer I in the United States is $56, which translates to an annual salary of about $116,451.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $64 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $50 to $60 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $45 per hour
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View as table View as graph 25% $50 10% $45 90% $64 75% $60 $56 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Drilling Engineer I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $124,876 $10,406 $2,401 $60
Average $116,451 $9,704 $2,239 $56
25th Percentile $104,164 $8,680 $2,003 $50
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Key Factors That Influence Drilling Engineer I Salaries

A Drilling Engineer 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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Drilling Engineer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Drilling Engineer 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:

  • Drilling Engineer I (0-2 years): $116,451
  • Drilling Engineer II (2-4 years): $136,995
  • Drilling Engineer III (4-7 years): $169,752
  • Drilling Engineer IV (7+ years): $189,051
  • Drilling Engineer V (7-10 years): $225,824
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Drilling Engineer I0-2 years$116,451
Drilling Engineer II2-4 years$136,995
Drilling Engineer III4-7 years$169,752
Drilling Engineer IV7+ years$189,051
Drilling Engineer V7-10 years$225,824
$116,451 Drilling ...
$136,995 Drilling ...
$169,752 Drilling ...
$189,051 Drilling ...
$225,824 Drilling ...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Drilling Engineer 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:

  • San Jose: $146,880
  • San Francisco: $145,436
  • Oakland: $142,210

What Skills Can Increase a Drilling Engineer I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 8.7% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • FOCUS (Mentioned in 2.61% Job Postings): Focus is the thinking skill that allows people to begin a task without procrastination and then maintain their attention and effort until the task is complete.
  • Safety Management (Mentioned in 2.61% Job Postings): Applying safety principles, framework, processes, and measures to prevent accidents, injuries, and other adverse consequences.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 8.7%
FOCUS 2.61%
Safety Management 2.61%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Drilling Engineer I's salary.
  • Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 31%.
  • Customer Satisfaction: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Continuous Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 18%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Process Improvement
 $152,551
31%
Customer Satisfaction
 $140,906
21%
Continuous Learning
 $137,412
18%
Written Communication
 $135,083
16%
Negotiating
 $130,425
12%
Continuous Improvement
 $129,261
11%
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How Education impacts a Drilling Engineer I's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Drilling Engineer Is enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Drilling Engineer I with a Bachelor's Degree is between $104,752 and $109,625).

Drilling Engineer I Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Drilling Engineer I
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 3.9%
High School 3.9%
Associates 35.3%
Bachelors 60.8%
Masters 35.3%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Drilling Engineer I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Drilling Engineer 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.

  • Yearly
  • Monthly
  • Weekly
  • Hourly
  • Table View
Last Updated on April 01, 2026
$104,164
Average $116,451/year
$124,876
$8,680
Average $9,704/month
$10,406
$2,003
Average $2,239/week
$2,401
$50
Average $56/hour
$60
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $124,876 $10,406 $2,401 $60
Average $116,451 $9,704 $2,239 $56
25th Percentile $104,164 $8,680 $2,003 $50

Salaries of jobs related to Drilling Engineer I

Salary Trends for Drilling Engineer I

Salaries for a Drilling Engineer I can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $93,889 in 2023 to around $87,929 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Drilling Engineer I salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Drilling Engineer I Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$93,889
2024
$90,592
2025
$87,929
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $93,889
2024 $90,592
2025 $87,929
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Drilling Engineer I

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Drilling Engineer I

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FAQ about Drilling Engineer I

1. What are the responsibilities of Drilling Engineer I?

Designs, plans, and oversees drilling operations of oil and gas wells. Performs design evaluations and makes recommendations to improve safety, lower cost, and increase efficiency. Analyzes data to identify trends, assess performance, and make adjustments to improve future drilling operations. Requires a bachelor's degree in engineering. Typically reports to a manager. Work is closely managed. Works on projects/matters of limited complexity in a support role. Typically requires 0-2 years of related experience.

2. What are the skills of Drilling Engineer I

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.

2.)

FOCUS: Focus is the thinking skill that allows people to begin a task without procrastination and then maintain their attention and effort until the task is complete.

3.)

Safety Management: Applying safety principles, framework, processes, and measures to prevent accidents, injuries, and other adverse consequences.

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.

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