Best States for Rotary Drill Operators (Oil & Gas)
Ranked by median salary, with cost-of-living adjustments. Find where rotary drill operators (oil & gas) earn the most and have the best purchasing power.
+8.1% projected growth
Much faster than average (national avg: +4%, +4.1pp)
State Rankings
| Rank | State | Median |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CaliforniaCA | $99,470 |
| 2 | AlaskaAK | $86,750 |
| 3 | New MexicoNM | $85,540 |
| 4 | MinnesotaMN | $79,760 |
| 5 | AlabamaAL | $77,240 |
| 6 | ColoradoCO | $76,290 |
| 7 | ArizonaAZ | $75,540 |
| 8 | FloridaFL | $75,410 |
| 9 | North DakotaND | $69,560 |
| 10 | UtahUT | $68,660 |
| 11 | ArkansasAR | $67,800 |
| 12 | TexasTX | $66,430 |
| 13 | OklahomaOK | $65,080 |
| 14 | MississippiMS | $62,410 |
| 15 | PennsylvaniaPA | $62,350 |
| 16 | OhioOH | $61,380 |
| 17 | LouisianaLA | $60,930 |
| 18 | VirginiaVA | $59,750 |
| 19 | KansasKS | $58,580 |
| 20 | West VirginiaWV | $58,040 |
| 21 | WyomingWY | $56,600 |
| 22 | MichiganMI | $54,070 |
| 23 | South CarolinaSC | $50,850 |
| 24 | North CarolinaNC | $43,950 |
| 25 | KentuckyKY | $42,000 |
Analysis
The top three states for rotary drill operators (oil & gas) by median salary are California, Alaska, and New Mexico. However, when adjusted for cost of living, the rankings may shift — states with lower living costs can offer greater real purchasing power even with lower nominal salaries.
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