Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Salary
In Billings, MT, earth drillers, except oil and gas earn $78,410 at the median, or about $37.7 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.53), which stretches that salary to about $83,834 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,417/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $78K get you in Billings?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Billings’s Regional Price Parity (93.53). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About earth drillers, except oil and gas
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What this looks like in Billings
Billings sits well above the national pay line for earth drillers, except oil and gas, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,417/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.53 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for earth drillers, except oil and gas in metros near Billings, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boise City | $54K | $55K |
| Fargo | $49K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Billings, MT
Entry-level earth drillers, except oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $80K | +34% | 210 |
| Alaska | $80K | +33% | 290 |
| Illinois | $79K | +31% | 330 |
| New Jersey | $78K | +30% | 400 |
| Montana | $71K | +19% | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $68K | +14% | 280 |
| California | $67K | +11% | 1,630 |
| New Hampshire | $66K | +10% | 80 |
| Connecticut | $66K | +9% | 140 |
| Kansas | $66K | +9% | 80 |
| Oregon | $65K | +8% | 510 |
| Colorado | $65K | +8% | 280 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +7% | 90 |
| Massachusetts | $64K | +7% | 130 |
| Minnesota | $64K | +6% | 340 |
| Indiana | $63K | +4% | 440 |
| Michigan | $63K | +4% | 850 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +4% | 110 |
| South Carolina | $62K | +2% | 120 |
| Vermont | $61K | +2% | 70 |
| Maryland | $61K | +2% | 120 |
| Nevada | $61K | +1% | 1,350 |
| Ohio | $61K | +1% | 390 |
| New York | $61K | +1% | 670 |
| Mississippi | $61K | +1% | 250 |
| Utah | $60K | +0% | 310 |
| Nebraska | $60K | +0% | 210 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -0% | 100 |
| Arizona | $59K | -2% | 850 |
| Texas | $59K | -2% | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -3% | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -5% | 730 |
| North Carolina | $57K | -5% | 290 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -5% | 80 |
| Delaware | $57K | -5% | N/A |
| Kentucky | $56K | -7% | 80 |
| Louisiana | $56K | -7% | 190 |
| West Virginia | $56K | -8% | 240 |
| Virginia | $55K | -8% | 440 |
| Florida | $55K | -8% | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $55K | -9% | 450 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -10% | 250 |
| Iowa | $54K | -10% | 190 |
| Missouri | $52K | -14% | 370 |
| Georgia | $50K | -17% | 870 |
| Alabama | $46K | -23% | 170 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -23% | 110 |
| Maine | $46K | -24% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track earth drillers, except oil and gas salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Billings numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a earth drillers, except oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Billings?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 28.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,417/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for earth drillers, except oil and gas in Billings?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new earth drillers, except oil and gas typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,821/month. At HUD’s $1,417/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is earth drillers, except oil and ga a high-paying job in Billings?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $78K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Billings compare to the national average for earth drillers, except oil and gas?
Billings pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do earth drillers, except oil and gas make in Billings, MT?
The median is $78,410 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,680, and experienced earth drillers, except oil and gas can clear $132,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Billings?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,002/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,417/month, which eats 28.3% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a earth drillers, except oil and gas salary go in Billings?
Billings has a Regional Price Parity of 93.53 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median earth drillers, except oil and gas salary is worth about $83,834 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do earth drillers, except oil and gas get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.