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

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

How does experience change A Drilling Operator's salary?

A Drilling Operator's salary grows with experience: a Machine Operator I (0-1 years)earns $41,316, a Drilling Operator (1-3 years)earns $45,913, a Machine Operator III (3-5 years)earns $52,084, a Machine Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $55,999, a Machine Operator Supervisor (7+ years)earns $81,292,

What are the highest paying states for a Drilling Operator?

Drilling Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Drilling Operator roles are District of Columbia $50,461, California $50,269, Massachusetts $49,599. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Drilling Operator roles make?

Salaries for Drilling Operator level roles vary by specialization: Drilling Manager: $181,394; Drilling Technician: $169,844; Drilling Technologist: $168,220; Drilling Foreman: $131,200; Drilling Superintendent: $129,655.

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

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Drilling Operator 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 Operator Salary in the United States

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

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Drilling Operator in the United States is $45,575 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $54,204
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,709 to $50,092
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,278

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Drilling Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,092	$4,174	$963	$24
Average	$45,575	$3,798	$876	$22
25th Percentile	$40,709	$3,392	$783	$20

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Key Factors That Influence Drilling Operator Salaries

A Drilling Operator'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 Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Drilling Operator'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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $41,316
Early Career (1-2 years): $45,913
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $52,084
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $55,999
Expert (over 8 years): $81,292

Levels	Salary
Machine O... Level Drilling Operator	$41,316
Drilling ... Level Drilling Operator	$45,913
Machine O... Level Drilling Operator	$52,084
Machine O... Level Drilling Operator	$55,999
Machine O... Level Drilling Operator	$81,292

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Drilling Operator 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 Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $50,461.
California: $50,269.
Massachusetts: $49,599.

District of Columbia $50,461

California $50,269

Massachusetts $49,599

Washington $49,417

New Jersey $49,399

Alaska $49,335

Connecticut $48,706

New York $48,451

Hawaii $47,635

Rhode Island $47,252

Maryland $46,992

Minnesota $46,637

Colorado $46,500

Illinois $46,455

Oregon $46,282

Delaware $46,154

New Hampshire $46,074

Virginia $45,894

Pennsylvania $45,370

Nevada $45,106

North Dakota $45,019

Michigan $44,882

Wisconsin $44,832

Vermont $44,732

Texas $44,454

Maine $44,436

Arizona $44,408

Ohio $44,376

Georgia $43,957

Indiana $43,748

Wyoming $43,707

Utah $43,643

Iowa $43,615

Kansas $43,397

Louisiana $43,333

North Carolina $43,310

Missouri $43,301

Florida $43,123

Montana $43,027

Nebraska $42,936

Kentucky $42,886

South Carolina $42,704

Tennessee $42,590

Idaho $42,544

New Mexico $42,212

Oklahoma $42,139

Alabama $41,870

South Dakota $41,419

Arkansas $41,173

West Virginia $41,040

Mississippi $40,644

Top Paying Cities for Drilling Operators

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: $57,484
San Francisco: $56,854
Oakland: $55,656

San Jose, CA $57,484

San Francisco, CA $56,854

Oakland, CA $55,656

New York, NY $52,475

Paramus, NJ $51,837

Queens Village, NY $51,834

Passaic, NJ $51,791

Bergenfield, NJ $51,787

Stamford, CT $51,687

Huntington, NY $51,668

Newark, NJ $51,331

Bridgeport, CT $51,235

Vallejo, CA $51,144

New Brunswick, NJ $51,126

Petaluma, CA $51,099

Middlesex, NJ $51,012

Somerset, NJ $50,980

Santa Cruz, CA $50,921

Boston, MA $50,643

Monterey, CA $50,483

Seattle, WA $50,379

Santa Rosa, CA $50,370

Los Angeles, CA $50,356

Juneau, AK $50,237

Washington, DC $50,187

Orange, CA $50,025

Santa Ana, CA $49,905

Long Beach, CA $49,859

Anaheim, CA $49,850

Anchorage, AK $49,827

Santa Maria, CA $49,691

Everett, WA $49,681

Danbury, CT $49,521

Bremerton, WA $49,458

Tacoma, WA $49,294

New Suffolk, NY $49,293

Sacramento, CA $49,280

Santa Barbara, CA $49,230

Trenton, NJ $49,180

San Diego, CA $49,180

Brockton, MA $49,130

Fairbanks, AK $49,018

Lompoc, CA $48,902

Lowell, MA $48,865

Ventura, CA $48,857

Nashua, NH $48,847

Stockton, CA $48,843

Modesto, CA $48,510

Poughkeepsie, NY $48,410

Olympia, WA $48,323

Kennewick, WA $48,323

New Haven, CT $48,305

Lawrence, MA $48,141

Hartford, CT $48,095

Riverside, CA $48,086

New Bedford, MA $48,041

Richland, WA $48,041

Bakersfield, CA $47,977

San Bernardino, CA $47,959

New Britain, CT $47,954

Atlantic City, NJ $47,954

New London, CT $47,936

Norwich, CT $47,922

Portsmouth, NH $47,913

Boulder, CO $47,816

Portland, OR $47,754

Worcester, MA $47,749

Minneapolis, MN $47,608

Philadelphia, PA $47,544

Honolulu, HI $47,394

Saint Paul, MN $47,372

Vineland, NJ $47,362

Providence, RI $47,229

Chicago, IL $47,097

Bellingham, WA $47,043

Springfield, MA $47,006

Baltimore, MD $46,992

Chico, CA $46,879

Pittsfield, MA $46,755

Manchester, NH $46,669

Spokane, WA $46,468

Denver, CO $46,464

Albany, NY $46,250

Troy, NY $46,231

Nassau, NY $46,183

Schenectady, NY $46,136

Wilmington, DE $46,099

Burlington, VT $46,035

Salem, OR $46,017

Portland, ME $45,876

Yakima, WA $45,830

Rochester, MN $45,689

Reno, NV $45,666

Fresno, CA $45,666

Milwaukee, WI $45,625

Detroit, MI $45,580

Ann Arbor, MI $45,572

Allentown, PA $45,566

Colorado Springs, CO $45,489

Syracuse, NY $45,466

Carson City, NV $45,466

Houston, TX $45,402

Eugene, OR $45,379

Gary, IN $45,324

Springfield, OR $45,288

Bismarck, ND $45,279

Galveston, TX $45,247

Medford, OR $45,179

Fort Collins, CO $45,160

Concord, NH $45,138

Austin, TX $45,124

Mesa, AZ $45,028

Reading, PA $45,024

Phoenix, AZ $45,019

Dallas, TX $45,005

Saint Cloud, MN $44,962

Madison, WI $44,901

Utica, NY $44,778

Rochester, NY $44,705

Des Moines, IA $44,700

Raleigh, NC $44,696

Atlanta, GA $44,627

Battle Creek, MI $44,613

Salt Lake City, UT $44,600

Lancaster, PA $44,531

Harrisburg, PA $44,468

Kansas City, MO $44,422

Champaign, IL $44,413

Kansas City, KS $44,413

Fort Worth, TX $44,408

Columbus, OH $44,401

Boca Raton, FL $44,390

Pittsburgh, PA $44,372

Richmond, VA $44,354

Indianapolis, IN $44,345

Cleveland, OH $44,340

Las Vegas, NV $44,285

Cincinnati, OH $44,285

Petersburg, VA $44,217

Huntsville, AL $44,149

Lansing, MI $44,118

Lebanon, PA $44,112

Pueblo, CO $44,108

Appleton, WI $44,094

Buffalo, NY $44,076

Dayton, OH $44,062

Racine, WI $44,053

Charlotte, NC $44,048

Saint Louis, MO $44,035

York, PA $44,007

Elkhart, IN $44,007

Gastonia, NC $43,999

Billings, MT $43,988

Beaumont, TX $43,975

Lorain, OH $43,966

Benton Harbor, MI $43,957

Toledo, OH $43,948

Binghamton, NY $43,925

Rock Hill, SC $43,921

Rockford, IL $43,898

Springfield, IL $43,880

Elyria, OH $43,875

Fargo, ND $43,875

Flagstaff, AZ $43,843

Fort Lauderdale, FL $43,816

Duluth, MN $43,789

Miami, FL $43,789

Cheyenne, WY $43,757

Grand Forks, ND $43,757

Bangor, ME $43,656

Cedar Rapids, IA $43,606

Durham, NC $43,587

Louisville, KY $43,583

Grand Rapids, MI $43,574

Hialeah, FL $43,570

Casper, WY $43,506

Scranton, PA $43,451

New Orleans, LA $43,438

Virginia Beach, VA $43,433

Akron, OH $43,410

Peoria, IL $43,351

Sarasota, FL $43,342

Nashville, TN $43,310

Omaha, NE $43,310

Green Bay, WI $43,310

Baton Rouge, LA $43,287

Charleston, SC $43,278

Jamestown, NY $43,255

Davenport, IA $43,255

Tucson, AZ $43,233

Saint Petersburg, FL $43,205

Tampa, FL $43,196

Evansville, IN $43,169

Port Arthur, TX $43,169

Bradenton, FL $43,151

Santa Fe, NM $43,068

Orlando, FL $42,986

Clearwater, FL $42,973

Canton, OH $42,877

La Crosse, WI $42,877

Albuquerque, NM $42,850

Newport News, VA $42,845

High Point, NC $42,831

Ogden, UT $42,813

Corpus Christi, TX $42,777

Norfolk, VA $42,749

Laramie, WY $42,749

Rock Island, IL $42,722

Saginaw, MI $42,713

Jacksonville, FL $42,708

Salisbury, NC $42,699

Boise, ID $42,690

Moline, IL $42,667

Fort Myers, FL $42,654

Memphis, TN $42,645

Tulsa, OK $42,622

Waterloo, IA $42,594

Spartanburg, SC $42,549

Lincoln, NE $42,526

Fort Wayne, IN $42,517

Provo, UT $42,512

Cedar Falls, IA $42,458

San Antonio, TX $42,440

Greensboro, NC $42,421

South Bend, IN $42,417

Savannah, GA $42,367

Muskegon, MI $42,348

Birmingham, AL $42,344

Winston Salem, NC $42,321

Lake Charles, LA $42,212

Anderson, IN $42,203

Lexington, KY $42,189

Augusta, GA $42,175

Greenville, SC $42,175

Lima, OH $42,139

Wichita, KS $42,134

Tuscaloosa, AL $42,134

Columbia, SC $42,093

Springfield, OH $42,084

Asheville, NC $42,011

Bloomington, IN $41,979

Knoxville, TN $41,815

Shreveport, LA $41,811

Wilmington, NC $41,751

Roanoke, VA $41,751

Topeka, KS $41,669

Frankfort, KY $41,664

Oklahoma City, OK $41,633

Chillicothe, OH $41,615

Longview, TX $41,610

Melbourne, FL $41,606

Sioux Falls, SD $41,533

Mobile, AL $41,528

Terre Haute, IN $41,510

Altoona, PA $41,482

Amarillo, TX $41,451

Killeen, TX $41,437

Fayetteville, AR $41,400

Chattanooga, TN $41,387

Sioux City, IA $41,346

Idaho Falls, ID $41,337

Lynchburg, VA $41,300

Gainesville, FL $41,241

Portsmouth, OH $41,218

Little Rock, AR $41,209

Lafayette, LA $41,191

Youngstown, OH $41,191

Daytona Beach, FL $41,163

Clarksville, TN $41,159

Pensacola, FL $41,154

Temple, TX $41,151

Hopkinsville, KY $41,018

Erie, PA $41,008

Florence, SC $40,990

Charleston, WV $40,917

Great Falls, MT $40,895

Macon, GA $40,831

Tallahassee, FL $40,826

Fayetteville, NC $40,817

Waco, TX $40,808

Helena, MT $40,776

Pine Bluff, AR $40,759

Vincennes, IN $40,703

Lubbock, TX $40,685

Alamogordo, NM $40,658

Twin Falls, ID $40,617

Rapid City, SD $40,603

Jackson, MS $40,521

Huntington, WV $40,518

Greenville, MS $40,516

Parkersburg, WV $40,470

Montgomery, AL $40,462

Wichita Falls, TX $40,416

Springfield, MO $40,416

Biloxi, MS $40,393

Monroe, LA $40,348

Johnstown, PA $40,316

Sumter, SC $40,298

Columbus, GA $40,293

Pascagoula, MS $40,206

Abilene, TX $40,206

Kingsport, TN $40,088

Albany, GA $40,088

Gulfport, MS $40,074

Alexandria, LA $39,924

Fort Smith, AR $39,810

El Paso, TX $39,687

Las Cruces, NM $39,482

Harlingen, TX $39,366

Pocatello, ID $39,359

Florence, AL $39,299

Brownsville, TX $39,290

Mcallen, TX $39,195

Dothan, AL $39,131

Columbus, MS $38,860

Altus, OK $38,648

Lawton, OK $38,561

Pierre, SD $38,397

What Skills Can Increase a Drilling Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.99% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Machine Operation (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Container (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.99%
Machine Operation	3.23%
Container	2.39%

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 Operator's salary.

Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Analysis	$49,221	8%
Dedication	$48,765	7%
Collaboration	$47,398	4%
Leadership	$46,942	3%
Initiative	$46,942	3%
SOP	$46,487	2%

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How Education impacts a Drilling Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Drilling Operators enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Operator with a No Diploma is between $44,700 and $47,709).

Drilling Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Drilling Operator

No Diploma 85.7%

High School 85.7%

Associates 9.5%

Bachelors 4.8%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	85.7%
High School	85.7%
Associates	9.5%
Bachelors	4.8%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Drilling Operator'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 May 01, 2026

$40,709

Average $45,575/year

$50,092

$3,392

Average $3,798/month

$4,174

$783

Average $876/week

$963

$20

Average $22/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,092	$4,174	$963	$24
Average	$45,575	$3,798	$876	$22
25th Percentile	$40,709	$3,392	$783	$20

Salaries of jobs related to Drilling Operator

Salary Trends for Drilling Operator

Salaries for a Drilling Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $42,475 in 2023 to around $42,512 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Drilling Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Drilling Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$42,475

2024

$42,628

2025

$42,512

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$42,475
2024	$42,628
2025	$42,512
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Drilling Operator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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