Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pay in the U.S.
$60,210avg. a year
$28.95 an hour · 10,590 employed
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas in the U.S. earn an average of $60,210 a year and a median of $58,620. Pay is highest in Louisiana ($77,630) and lowest in Illinois ($43,730).
$58,620Median pay
$28.95Average hourly
+20%Avg. pay since 2020
10,590Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for derrick operators, oil and gas
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
1890 jobs
Louisiana
$77,630
$37.32 an hour
2170 jobs
Alaska
$77,570
$37.29 an hour
3490 jobs
North Dakota
$73,210
$35.20 an hour
4140 jobs
Wyoming
$72,600
$34.90 an hour
560 jobs
Florida
$71,090
$34.18 an hour
6290 jobs
Colorado
$65,740
$31.61 an hour
780 jobs
Utah
$62,950
$30.27 an hour
8140 jobs
Pennsylvania
$59,480
$28.60 an hour
9
California
$59,400
$28.56 an hour
10580 jobs
Oklahoma
$58,760
$28.25 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $50k$50k–$59k$59k–$71k$71k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $64,080 | $30.81 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $61,490 | $29.56 |
| Tyler, TX | $59,890 | $28.79 |
| Midland, TX | $58,280 | $28.02 |
| Odessa, TX | $54,580 | $26.24 |
| Farmington, NM | $51,830 | $24.92 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $46,650 | $22.43 |
| Lubbock, TX | $45,480 | $21.87 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $49,610 | $49,350 | – |
| Alaska | $77,570 | $78,050 | 170 |
| Arkansas | $51,820 | $50,070 | 50 |
| California | $59,400 | $55,480 | – |
| Colorado | $65,740 | $64,730 | 290 |
| Florida | $71,090 | $64,950 | 60 |
| Illinois | $43,730 | $45,900 | – |
| Louisiana | $77,630 | $86,980 | 890 |
| Michigan | $48,540 | $45,180 | 40 |
| Mississippi | $49,260 | $47,340 | 200 |
| New Mexico | $57,140 | $59,570 | 880 |
| North Dakota | $73,210 | $71,850 | 490 |
| Ohio | $50,190 | $50,650 | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $58,760 | $58,270 | 580 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,480 | $59,720 | 140 |
| Texas | $57,690 | $56,100 | 5,810 |
| Utah | $62,950 | $56,980 | 80 |
| West Virginia | $57,620 | $50,640 | 60 |
| Wyoming | $72,600 | $76,750 | 140 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
$64,080
1,560 jobsMidland, TX
$58,280
580 jobsOdessa, TX
$54,580
390 jobsOklahoma City, OK
$61,490
260 jobsFarmington, NM
$51,830
180 jobsSan Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
$46,650
160 jobsLubbock, TX
$45,480
120 jobsTyler, TX
$59,890
120 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do derrick operators, oil and gas make?
The average is $60,210 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $58,620 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $28.95, and the median is $28.18 an hour.
Which state pays derrick operators, oil and gas the most?
Louisiana, with an average of $77,630 a year. The best-paying metro area is Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX at $64,080.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $43,380 a year, and the top 10% earn over $81,800.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 47-5011. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.