Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Lafayette, LA make a median of $49,190 a year, or about $23.65 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.21), which stretches that salary to about $56,404 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,019/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (87.21). 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 rotary drill operators, oil and gas
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What this looks like in Lafayette
Pay for rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Lafayette runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,019/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 rotary drill operators, oil and gas in metros near Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $79K | $81K |
| Midland | $78K | $82K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $81K | $79K |
| Odessa | $60K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette, LA
Entry-level rotary drill operators, oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $85K | +26% | 130 |
| New Mexico | $83K | +22% | 580 |
| Colorado | $80K | +18% | 110 |
| Nebraska | $79K | +17% | 40 |
| Texas | $78K | +15% | 5,980 |
| North Dakota | $71K | +5% | 230 |
| Utah | $70K | +4% | N/A |
| Alabama | $67K | -1% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $67K | -1% | 130 |
| New York | $67K | -1% | 50 |
| California | $66K | -3% | 460 |
| Ohio | $64K | -6% | 290 |
| Arizona | $63K | -7% | 30 |
| Florida | $62K | -9% | 180 |
| Pennsylvania | $62K | -9% | 390 |
| Virginia | $61K | -10% | 110 |
| Wyoming | $61K | -10% | 200 |
| Kansas | $61K | -11% | 130 |
| Tennessee | $59K | -13% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $58K | -15% | 50 |
| West Virginia | $57K | -16% | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $55K | -19% | 1,700 |
| Michigan | $54K | -20% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -27% | 910 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -43% | 30 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -44% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 26 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track rotary drill operators, oil and gas salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lafayette numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rotary drill operators, oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 30.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,019/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 rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rotary drill operators, oil and gas typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,919/month. At HUD’s $1,019/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Lafayette?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $49K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lafayette compare to the national average for rotary drill operators, oil and gas?
Lafayette pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do rotary drill operators, oil and gas make in Lafayette, LA?
The median is $49,190 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,990, and experienced rotary drill operators, oil and gas can clear $70,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,337/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,019/month, which eats 30.5% 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 Lafayette?
Lafayette has a Regional Price Parity of 87.21 (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 $56,404 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.