What are the main factors that influence a Drilling Contractor's salary?

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

What industry pays the highest salary for Drilling Contractor?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Drilling Contractor roles, with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.

How does experience change A Drilling Contractor's salary?

A Drilling Contractor's salary grows with experience: a CNC Machine Operator I (1-3 years)earns $50,083, a Drilling Contractor (3-5 years)earns $63,430, a CNC Machine Operator III (5-7 years)earns $72,132,

What are the highest paying states for a Drilling Contractor?

Drilling Contractor salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Drilling Contractor roles are District of Columbia $68,740, California $68,479, Massachusetts $67,567. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Drilling Contractor roles make?

Salaries for Drilling Contractor level roles vary by specialization: Drilling Manager: $181,509; Drilling Technician: $169,943; Drilling Technologist: $168,320; Drilling Foreman: $131,300; Drilling Superintendent: $129,752.

How do different companies affect a Drilling Contractor's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Drilling Contractor roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Drilling Contractor Salary in the United States

How much does a Drilling Contractor make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Drilling Contractor in the United States is $62,085 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

However, a Drilling Contractor's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $74,971
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $55,626 to $68,830
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,746

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Drilling Contractor Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$68,830	$5,736	$1,324	$33
Average	$62,085	$5,174	$1,194	$30
25th Percentile	$55,626	$4,636	$1,070	$27

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Key Factors That Influence Drilling Contractor Salaries

A Drilling Contractor'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 Do Drilling Contractor 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 Drilling Contractors. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $68,740.
California: $68,479.
Massachusetts: $67,567.

District of Columbia $68,740 California $68,479 Massachusetts $67,567 Washington $67,318 New Jersey $67,293 Alaska $67,206 Connecticut $66,350 New York $66,002

Hawaii $64,891 Rhode Island $64,369 Maryland $64,015 Minnesota $63,531 Colorado $63,345 Illinois $63,283 Oregon $63,047 Delaware $62,873

New Hampshire $62,764 Virginia $62,519 Pennsylvania $61,805 Nevada $61,445 North Dakota $61,327 Michigan $61,141 Wisconsin $61,073 Vermont $60,936

Texas $60,557 Maine $60,532 Arizona $60,495 Ohio $60,452 Georgia $59,881 Indiana $59,595 Wyoming $59,539 Utah $59,452

Iowa $59,415 Kansas $59,117 Louisiana $59,030 North Carolina $58,999 Missouri $58,986 Florida $58,744 Montana $58,614 Nebraska $58,490

Kentucky $58,422 South Carolina $58,173 Tennessee $58,018 Idaho $57,956 New Mexico $57,503 Oklahoma $57,403 Alabama $57,037 South Dakota $56,422

Arkansas $56,087 West Virginia $55,907 Mississippi $55,367

Top Paying Cities for Drilling Contractors

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: $78,307
San Francisco: $77,450
Oakland: $75,818

San Jose, CA $78,307

San Francisco, CA $77,450

Oakland, CA $75,818

New York, NY $71,483

Paramus, NJ $70,614

Queens Village, NY $70,611

Passaic, NJ $70,552

Bergenfield, NJ $70,547

Stamford, CT $70,410

Huntington, NY $70,385

Newark, NJ $69,926

Bridgeport, CT $69,795

Vallejo, CA $69,671

New Brunswick, NJ $69,646

Petaluma, CA $69,609

Middlesex, NJ $69,491

Somerset, NJ $69,448

Santa Cruz, CA $69,367

Boston, MA $68,988

Monterey, CA $68,770

Seattle, WA $68,628

Santa Rosa, CA $68,616

Los Angeles, CA $68,597

Juneau, AK $68,436

Washington, DC $68,367

Orange, CA $68,146

Santa Ana, CA $67,983

Long Beach, CA $67,920

Anaheim, CA $67,908

Anchorage, AK $67,877

Santa Maria, CA $67,691

Everett, WA $67,678

Danbury, CT $67,460

Bremerton, WA $67,374

Tacoma, WA $67,151

New Suffolk, NY $67,149

Sacramento, CA $67,132

Santa Barbara, CA $67,064

Trenton, NJ $66,995

San Diego, CA $66,995

Brockton, MA $66,927

Fairbanks, AK $66,775

Lompoc, CA $66,617

Lowell, MA $66,566

Ventura, CA $66,555

Nashua, NH $66,542

Stockton, CA $66,536

Modesto, CA $66,083

Poughkeepsie, NY $65,946

Olympia, WA $65,828

Kennewick, WA $65,828

New Haven, CT $65,803

Lawrence, MA $65,580

Hartford, CT $65,518

Riverside, CA $65,505

New Bedford, MA $65,443

Richland, WA $65,443

Bakersfield, CA $65,356

San Bernardino, CA $65,332

New Britain, CT $65,325

Atlantic City, NJ $65,325

New London, CT $65,300

Norwich, CT $65,282

Portsmouth, NH $65,269

Boulder, CO $65,138

Portland, OR $65,052

Worcester, MA $65,046

Minneapolis, MN $64,853

Philadelphia, PA $64,767

Honolulu, HI $64,562

Saint Paul, MN $64,532

Vineland, NJ $64,518

Providence, RI $64,338

Chicago, IL $64,158

Bellingham, WA $64,084

Springfield, MA $64,034

Baltimore, MD $64,015

Chico, CA $63,860

Pittsfield, MA $63,692

Manchester, NH $63,575

Spokane, WA $63,301

Denver, CO $63,295

Albany, NY $63,003

Troy, NY $62,979

Nassau, NY $62,912

Schenectady, NY $62,848

Wilmington, DE $62,798

Burlington, VT $62,712

Salem, OR $62,687

Portland, ME $62,494

Yakima, WA $62,432

Rochester, MN $62,240

Reno, NV $62,209

Fresno, CA $62,209

Milwaukee, WI $62,153

Detroit, MI $62,091

Ann Arbor, MI $62,080

Allentown, PA $62,072

Colorado Springs, CO $61,967

Syracuse, NY $61,935

Carson City, NV $61,935

Houston, TX $61,849

Eugene, OR $61,818

Gary, IN $61,743

Springfield, OR $61,693

Bismarck, ND $61,681

Galveston, TX $61,637

Medford, OR $61,544

Fort Collins, CO $61,520

Concord, NH $61,488

Austin, TX $61,470

Mesa, AZ $61,339

Reading, PA $61,333

Phoenix, AZ $61,327

Dallas, TX $61,308

Saint Cloud, MN $61,249

Madison, WI $61,166

Utica, NY $60,998

Rochester, NY $60,899

Des Moines, IA $60,892

Raleigh, NC $60,886

Atlanta, GA $60,793

Battle Creek, MI $60,775

Salt Lake City, UT $60,756

Lancaster, PA $60,663

Harrisburg, PA $60,576

Kansas City, MO $60,514

Champaign, IL $60,501

Kansas City, KS $60,501

Fort Worth, TX $60,495

Columbus, OH $60,485

Boca Raton, FL $60,470

Pittsburgh, PA $60,445

Richmond, VA $60,421

Indianapolis, IN $60,408

Cleveland, OH $60,402

Las Vegas, NV $60,328

Cincinnati, OH $60,328

Petersburg, VA $60,234

Huntsville, AL $60,141

Lansing, MI $60,100

Lebanon, PA $60,092

Pueblo, CO $60,085

Appleton, WI $60,067

Buffalo, NY $60,042

Dayton, OH $60,023

Racine, WI $60,011

Charlotte, NC $60,005

Saint Louis, MO $59,986

York, PA $59,949

Elkhart, IN $59,949

Gastonia, NC $59,937

Billings, MT $59,922

Beaumont, TX $59,905

Lorain, OH $59,893

Benton Harbor, MI $59,881

Toledo, OH $59,868

Binghamton, NY $59,837

Rock Hill, SC $59,831

Rockford, IL $59,800

Springfield, IL $59,775

Elyria, OH $59,769

Fargo, ND $59,769

Flagstaff, AZ $59,725

Fort Lauderdale, FL $59,688

Duluth, MN $59,651

Miami, FL $59,651

Cheyenne, WY $59,607

Grand Forks, ND $59,607

Bangor, ME $59,471

Cedar Rapids, IA $59,402

Durham, NC $59,376

Louisville, KY $59,371

Grand Rapids, MI $59,359

Hialeah, FL $59,353

Casper, WY $59,266

Scranton, PA $59,191

New Orleans, LA $59,173

Virginia Beach, VA $59,167

Akron, OH $59,135

Peoria, IL $59,055

Sarasota, FL $59,042

Nashville, TN $58,999

Omaha, NE $58,999

Green Bay, WI $58,999

Baton Rouge, LA $58,968

Charleston, SC $58,955

Jamestown, NY $58,924

Davenport, IA $58,924

Tucson, AZ $58,893

Saint Petersburg, FL $58,856

Tampa, FL $58,844

Evansville, IN $58,806

Port Arthur, TX $58,806

Bradenton, FL $58,782

Santa Fe, NM $58,670

Orlando, FL $58,558

Clearwater, FL $58,539

Canton, OH $58,409

La Crosse, WI $58,409

Albuquerque, NM $58,372

Newport News, VA $58,366

High Point, NC $58,347

Ogden, UT $58,322

Corpus Christi, TX $58,273

Norfolk, VA $58,235

Laramie, WY $58,235

Rock Island, IL $58,198

Saginaw, MI $58,186

Jacksonville, FL $58,179

Salisbury, NC $58,167

Boise, ID $58,155

Moline, IL $58,124

Fort Myers, FL $58,105

Memphis, TN $58,092

Tulsa, OK $58,061

Waterloo, IA $58,024

Spartanburg, SC $57,962

Lincoln, NE $57,931

Fort Wayne, IN $57,919

Provo, UT $57,912

Cedar Falls, IA $57,838

San Antonio, TX $57,813

Greensboro, NC $57,788

South Bend, IN $57,782

Savannah, GA $57,714

Muskegon, MI $57,689

Birmingham, AL $57,683

Winston Salem, NC $57,652

Lake Charles, LA $57,503

Anderson, IN $57,490

Lexington, KY $57,472

Augusta, GA $57,453

Greenville, SC $57,453

Lima, OH $57,403

Wichita, KS $57,397

Tuscaloosa, AL $57,397

Columbia, SC $57,341

Springfield, OH $57,329

Asheville, NC $57,229

Bloomington, IN $57,186

Knoxville, TN $56,963

Shreveport, LA $56,956

Wilmington, NC $56,876

Roanoke, VA $56,876

Topeka, KS $56,764

Frankfort, KY $56,757

Oklahoma City, OK $56,714

Chillicothe, OH $56,689

Longview, TX $56,683

Melbourne, FL $56,677

Sioux Falls, SD $56,578

Mobile, AL $56,571

Terre Haute, IN $56,547

Altoona, PA $56,509

Amarillo, TX $56,466

Killeen, TX $56,447

Fayetteville, AR $56,398

Chattanooga, TN $56,379

Sioux City, IA $56,323

Idaho Falls, ID $56,311

Lynchburg, VA $56,261

Gainesville, FL $56,180

Portsmouth, OH $56,149

Little Rock, AR $56,137

Lafayette, LA $56,112

Youngstown, OH $56,112

Daytona Beach, FL $56,075

Clarksville, TN $56,069

Pensacola, FL $56,062

Temple, TX $56,058

Hopkinsville, KY $55,876

Erie, PA $55,864

Florence, SC $55,839

Charleston, WV $55,739

Great Falls, MT $55,708

Macon, GA $55,622

Tallahassee, FL $55,615

Fayetteville, NC $55,603

Waco, TX $55,590

Helena, MT $55,547

Pine Bluff, AR $55,523

Vincennes, IN $55,448

Lubbock, TX $55,423

Alamogordo, NM $55,386

Twin Falls, ID $55,330

Rapid City, SD $55,311

Jackson, MS $55,199

Huntington, WV $55,195

Greenville, MS $55,193

Parkersburg, WV $55,130

Montgomery, AL $55,119

Wichita Falls, TX $55,057

Springfield, MO $55,057

Biloxi, MS $55,025

Monroe, LA $54,963

Johnstown, PA $54,920

Sumter, SC $54,895

Columbus, GA $54,889

Pascagoula, MS $54,771

Abilene, TX $54,771

Kingsport, TN $54,610

Albany, GA $54,610

Gulfport, MS $54,591

Alexandria, LA $54,386

Fort Smith, AR $54,231

El Paso, TX $54,063

Las Cruces, NM $53,784

Harlingen, TX $53,626

Pocatello, ID $53,616

Florence, AL $53,535

Brownsville, TX $53,523

Mcallen, TX $53,393

Dothan, AL $53,306

Columbus, MS $52,937

Altus, OK $52,648

Lawton, OK $52,530

Pierre, SD $52,306

What Skills Can Increase a Drilling Contractor's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 1.78% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.3% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
Preventive Maintenance (Mentioned in 0.98% Job Postings): Preventive maintenance is the act of performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things before they break.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	1.78%
Preventative Maintenance	1.3%
Preventive Maintenance	0.98%

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 Contractor's salary.

Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Lean: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Initiative	$64,568	4%
Written Communication	$63,947	3%
Lean	$63,326	2%
Visual Inspection	$62,705	1%
CAD	$62,705	1%
Problem Solving	$62,705	1%

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Drilling Contractor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Drilling Contractor roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average. In contrast, Drilling Contractor positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Drilling Contractor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Drilling Contractor

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology	$86,918	$42.0	40%
Aerospace & Defense	$80,710	$39.0	30%
Energy & Utilities	$71,397	$34.0	15%

How Education impacts a Drilling Contractor's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Drilling Contractors enter the field with a Associate'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 Contractor with a Associate's Degree is between $59,874 and $64,349).

Drilling Contractor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Drilling Contractor

No Diploma 1.1%

High School 76.1%

Associates 19.3%

Bachelors 2.3%

Masters 1.1%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.1%
High School	76.1%
Associates	19.3%
Bachelors	2.3%
Masters	1.1%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Drilling Contractor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Drilling Contractor'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

$55,626

Average $62,085/year

$68,830

$4,636

Average $5,174/month

$5,736

$1,070

Average $1,194/week

$1,324

$27

Average $30/hour

$33

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$68,830	$5,736	$1,324	$33
Average	$62,085	$5,174	$1,194	$30
25th Percentile	$55,626	$4,636	$1,070	$27

Salaries of jobs related to Drilling Contractor

Salary Trends for Drilling Contractor

Salaries for a Drilling Contractor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,033 in 2023 to around $47,575 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Drilling Contractor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Drilling Contractor Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$48,033

2024

$47,895

2025

$47,575

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$48,033
2024	$47,895
2025	$47,575
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Drilling Contractor

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

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