Rotary Drill Operators build operation and control, operations monitoring and instructing skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Wellhead Pumpers (84%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellhead Pumpers | 84% | $69,960 | +3% | None |
| 2 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 83% | $96,710 | +42% | None |
| 3 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 78% | $61,290 | −10% | None |
| 4 | Hoist and Winch Operators | 77% | $56,450 | −17% | None |
| 5 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 76% | $59,850 | −12% | None |
| 6 | Dredge Operators | 76% | $49,640 | −27% | None |
| 7 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 76% | $61,770 | −9% | None |
| 8 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | 76% | $70,070 | +3% | None |
| 9 | Pile Driver Operators | 75% | $73,300 | +8% | None |
| 10 | Biomass Plant Technicians | 74% | $102,040Pay for the broader BLS group “Power Plant Operators” | Not compared | None |
Compared with Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas, median $67,890. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as rotary drill operators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
84% skill match · $69,960 · +3% pay
Operations Monitoring · Operation and Control · Programming
83% skill match · $96,710 · +42% pay
Programming · Systems Analysis · Management of Financial Resources
78% skill match · $61,290 · −10% pay
Installation · Management of Financial Resources · Operations Analysis
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Wellhead Pumpers (84% skill match, median $69,960), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (83% skill match, median $96,710) and Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons (78% skill match, median $61,290), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 11 pay more than rotary drill operators at the median. The biggest increases: Power Plant Operators (+50%, $102,040), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+42%, $96,710) and Gas Plant Operators (+29%, $87,820).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.