Rotary Drill Operators
O*NET title: 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.
Also called: Blast Driller, Cable Driller, Cable Tool Driller, Clean Out Driller, Core Drill Operator, Core Driller
Median pay
$67,890
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$47,010 – $101,860
People employed
12,600
Holland code
RCI
Realistic · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 2.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 3.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
- 4.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 5.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 6.Are you OK being on your feet and moving most of the day?
The hard parts
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Long hours on your feet
Rotary Drill Operators pay by state
Annual median pay by state (26 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What rotary drill operators do
- 01Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
- 02Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
- 03Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
- 04Push 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.
- 05Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
- 06Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Learning Strategies
Knowledge
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Education and Training
- Personnel and Human Resources
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a high school diploma (O*NET Job Zone 2).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 4 years, up to and including 10 years.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from rotary drill operators
- Wellhead Pumpers84% · +3%
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers83% · +42%
- Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons78% · −10%
- Hoist and Winch Operators77% · −17%
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators76% · −12%
Change into rotary drill operators
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Dredge Operators89% · $49,640
- Wellhead Pumpers84% · $69,960
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators80% · $70,070
- Commercial Divers79% · $72,990
- Sailors and Marine Oilers79% · $51,520
Majors that lead here
- Well Drilling/Driller
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.