Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

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.

SOC: 47-5012.00

Common Job Titles

Daylight DrillerDrill OperatorDrillerTool Pusher
Wage Data According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Annual wage data for Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (2024)

Estimated Total Employment (U.S.)

13,090

Wage Distribution by Percentile

MetricU.S.
10% of workers earn the following or less$42,750
10% of workers earn the following or more$98,510
Workers on average earn$70,080

+ indicates wage is at or above the BLS reporting cap ($239,200/year)

Skills & Requirements

Key competencies for this occupation, ranked by importance

  • Mechanical3.9/5
  • Mathematics3.8/5
  • Administration and Management3.3/5
  • Education and Training3.2/5
  • Personnel and Human Resources3.1/5
Tools & Technology

Equipment and software commonly used in this occupation

In-Demand Technology

Frequently requested by employers in job postings

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordPythonSAP softwareSalesforce software

Technology Skills

CAPSHER Technology SureTecDrillingsoftware DrillProDrillingsoftware Tubular DatabasePason WellView Field SolutionSchlumberger Petrel E&PStructure query language SQL

Tools & Equipment

Accumulator systemsAdapter spoolsAir hoistsCement pumping equipmentChain driven draw worksChoke manifoldsClaw hammersDouble studded adapters