Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

47-5012 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. Excludes "Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas" (47-5021).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
21,650 5.6 % $28.15 $58,540 2.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.10 $18.35 $24.67 $32.53 $45.45
Annual Wage (2) $31,400 $38,170 $51,310 $67,670 $94,540


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 16,540 5.17 $27.45 $57,100
Oil and Gas Extraction 4,430 2.72 $30.48 $63,400
Utility System Construction 130 0.03 $21.48 $44,690
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 100 0.09 $35.88 $74,640

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 16,540 5.17 $27.45 $57,100
Oil and Gas Extraction 4,430 2.72 $30.48 $63,400
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 100 0.09 $35.88 $74,640
Utility System Construction 130 0.03 $21.48 $44,690

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 100 0.09 $35.88 $74,640
Oil and Gas Extraction 4,430 2.72 $30.48 $63,400
Support Activities for Mining 16,540 5.17 $27.45 $57,100
Utility System Construction 130 0.03 $21.48 $44,690
Other Specialty Trade Contractors (8) (8) $20.64 $42,930


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 8,030 0.78 4.62 $33.18 $69,020
Oklahoma 2,390 1.59 9.43 $23.66 $49,220
Wyoming 1,610 5.89 34.91 $26.23 $54,570
Louisiana 1,380 0.75 4.44 $27.46 $57,120
California 1,140 0.08 0.48 $26.75 $55,630




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 1,610 5.89 34.91 $26.23 $54,570
Oklahoma 2,390 1.59 9.43 $23.66 $49,220
North Dakota 450 1.20 7.11 $31.89 $66,330
Texas 8,030 0.78 4.62 $33.18 $69,020
West Virginia 520 0.75 4.42 $22.55 $46,900




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 140 0.43 2.57 $34.62 $72,000
Texas 8,030 0.78 4.62 $33.18 $69,020
Montana 300 0.71 4.23 $32.61 $67,830
New York 190 0.02 0.13 $32.02 $66,600
North Dakota 450 1.20 7.11 $31.89 $66,330





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 3,360 1.32 7.81 $35.64 $74,140
Oklahoma City, OK 1,370 2.42 14.31 $23.89 $49,700
Casper, WY 660 16.86 99.91 $24.16 $50,260
Midland, TX 650 9.29 55.04 $46.93 $97,620
Odessa, TX 450 7.19 42.57 $34.56 $71,880
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 370 2.14 12.67 $26.68 $55,490
Lafayette, LA 350 2.41 14.28 $24.48 $50,930
Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO 340 0.29 1.70 $27.16 $56,490
Corpus Christi, TX 330 1.87 11.07 $28.55 $59,380
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 280 1.08 6.41 $30.86 $64,190




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Casper, WY 660 16.86 99.91 $24.16 $50,260
Midland, TX 650 9.29 55.04 $46.93 $97,620
Odessa, TX 450 7.19 42.57 $34.56 $71,880
Grand Junction, CO 210 3.73 22.10 $27.31 $56,800
Farmington, NM 140 2.90 17.17 $24.28 $50,500
Oklahoma City, OK 1,370 2.42 14.31 $23.89 $49,700
Lafayette, LA 350 2.41 14.28 $24.48 $50,930
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 370 2.14 12.67 $26.68 $55,490
Tuscaloosa, AL 180 2.02 11.98 $24.43 $50,820
Fort Smith, AR-OK 220 1.98 11.73 $23.34 $48,560




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 650 9.29 55.04 $46.93 $97,620
Anchorage, AK 50 0.29 1.69 $37.22 $77,410
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 3,360 1.32 7.81 $35.64 $74,140
Odessa, TX 450 7.19 42.57 $34.56 $71,880
New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA 170 0.32 1.92 $34.56 $71,880
Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division 70 0.05 0.28 $33.56 $69,800
Bakersfield-Delano, CA 280 1.08 6.41 $30.86 $64,190
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 120 0.53 3.15 $30.25 $62,920
Abilene, TX 120 1.91 11.33 $30.13 $62,670
Corpus Christi, TX 330 1.87 11.07 $28.55 $59,380

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 910 3.68 21.80 $26.22 $54,530
Southwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 520 8.42 49.89 $28.48 $59,240
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 360 0.95 5.63 $17.06 $35,490
Gulf Coast Texas nonmetropolitan area 360 2.91 17.26 $29.17 $60,670
Far Western North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 350 7.40 43.86 $32.19 $66,960

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 520 8.42 49.89 $28.48 $59,240
Far Western North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 350 7.40 43.86 $32.19 $66,960
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 280 5.59 33.13 $29.70 $61,780
Northwestern Texas nonmetropolitan area 910 3.68 21.80 $26.22 $54,530
Northwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 140 3.38 20.05 $28.46 $59,190

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Montana nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $42.38 $88,150
Railbelt / Southwest Alaska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.88 5.22 $38.22 $79,510
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 180 1.43 8.46 $37.37 $77,730
Far Western North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 350 7.40 43.86 $32.19 $66,960
West Central North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 80 1.36 8.06 $32.02 $66,600


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012