Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Also called: Blast Driller, Cable Driller, Cable Tool Driller, Clean Out Driller, Core Drill Operator, Core Driller, Daylight Driller, Directional Drill Operator
Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
What rotary drill operators, oil and gas do
Typical tasks
- Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
- Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
- Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
- Push levers and brake pedals to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
- Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
- Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
- Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
- Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
- Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
- Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
- Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
- Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas salary
The median annual wage for rotary drill operators, oil and gas is $67,890 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $47,010 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $101,860. The mean annual wage is $72,130.
The mean hourly wage of $34.00 is 4.7× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $67,890 → in 3 years $74,500 → in 5 years $79,300 → in 10 years $92,600 (10-year range $79,600–$107,500). The model assumes pay growth of +3.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become rotary drill operators, oil and gas
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as rotary drill operators, oil and gas
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.