Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Virginia make a median of $61,410 a year, or about $29.52 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $64,785 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 40.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $61K get you in Virginia?
About rotary drill operators, oil and gas
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What this looks like in Virginia
Rotary drill operators, oil and gas pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level rotary drill operators, oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $28K 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 Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rotary drill operators, oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rotary drill operators, oil and gas typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,659/month. At HUD’s $1,646/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 rotary drill operators, oil and ga a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for rotary drill operators, oil and gas?
Virginia pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do rotary drill operators, oil and gas make in Virginia?
The median is $61,410 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,320, and experienced rotary drill operators, oil and gas can clear $72,070. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,031/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 40.8% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $64,785 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.