Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Kentucky make a median of $38,520 a year, or about $18.52 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.23), which stretches that salary to about $42,691 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,110/month, about 42.2% 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 $39K get you in Kentucky?
About rotary drill operators, oil and gas
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What this looks like in Kentucky
Pay for rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Kentucky runs about 43% below the U.S. median of $68K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,110/month, which is 42.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. 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. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for rotary drill operators, oil and gass.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kentucky
Entry-level rotary drill operators, oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track rotary drill operators, 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 rotary drill operators, oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kentucky?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 42.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,110/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Kentucky?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rotary drill operators, oil and gas typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,176/month. At HUD’s $1,110/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Kentucky?
Local pay runs 43% below the national median — $39K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kentucky compare to the national average for rotary drill operators, oil and gas?
Kentucky pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.23), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do rotary drill operators, oil and gas make in Kentucky?
The median is $38,520 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,270, and experienced rotary drill operators, oil and gas can clear $46,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Kentucky?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,621/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,110/month, which eats 42.4% 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 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 rotary drill operators, oil and gas salary is worth about $42,691 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.