Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Colorado make a median of $79,830 a year, or about $38.38 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.71), that's roughly $76,974 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,832/month, about 34.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Colorado. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $80K actually covers in Colorado, month by month
About rotary drill operators, oil and gas
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Colorado
Colorado sits well above the national pay line for rotary drill operators, oil and gas, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,832/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.71) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado
Entry-level rotary drill operators, oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $31K spread from bottom to top.
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas salary by metro in Colorado
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction | $69K | -13% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track rotary drill operators, oil and gas salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Colorado numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a rotary drill operators, oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,832/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Colorado?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rotary drill operators, oil and gas typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,057/month. At HUD’s $1,832/month FMR, rent would take 45% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is rotary drill operators, oil and ga a high-paying job in Colorado?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $80K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Colorado compare to the national average for rotary drill operators, oil and gas?
Colorado pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.71), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do rotary drill operators, oil and gas make in Colorado?
The median is $79,830 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,410, and experienced rotary drill operators, oil and gas can clear $92,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Colorado?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,086/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,832/month, which eats 36% 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 rotary drill operators, oil and gas salary go in Colorado?
Colorado has a Regional Price Parity of 103.71 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median rotary drill operators, oil and gas salary is worth about $76,974 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do rotary drill operators, 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.