Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas Salary
In Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, earth drillers, except oil and gas earn $50,400 at the median, or about $24.23 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $51,460 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 51.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for earth drillers, except oil and gas in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 51.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for earth drillers, except oil and gass.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for earth drillers, except oil and gas in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $51K | $52K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $59K | $61K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $60K | $55K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $62K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level earth drillers, except oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $24K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a earth drillers, except oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 51.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for earth drillers, except oil and gas in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new earth drillers, except oil and gas typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,764/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $50K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for earth drillers, except oil and gas?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do earth drillers, except oil and gas make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $50,400 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,060, and experienced earth drillers, except oil and gas can clear $69,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,346/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 51.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a earth drillers, except oil and gas salary go in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $51,460 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.