Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Salary
In Kentucky, earth drillers, except oil and gas earn $56,160 at the median, or about $27 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $62,241 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 30.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Kentucky. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $56K get you in Kentucky?
About earth drillers, except oil and gas
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Earth drillers, except oil and gas pay in Kentucky tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,110/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.23 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level earth drillers, except oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track earth drillers, except oil and gas salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kentucky numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a earth drillers, except oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
Yes — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 29.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new earth drillers, except oil and gas typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,712/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Kentucky?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for earth drillers, except oil and gas?
Kentucky pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do earth drillers, except oil and gas make in Kentucky?
The median is $56,160 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,200, and experienced earth drillers, except oil and gas can clear $73,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,743/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 29.7% 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 Kentucky?
Kentucky has a Regional Price Parity of 90.23 (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 $62,241 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.