Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Salary
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas in Wichita Falls, TX make a median of $57,700 a year, or about $27.74 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.51), which stretches that salary to about $64,462 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,136/month, or 28.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $58K get you in Wichita Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wichita Falls’s Regional Price Parity (89.51). 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 Wichita Falls
Pay for rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Wichita Falls runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,136/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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 Wichita Falls, 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, Wichita Falls, TX
Entry-level rotary drill operators, oil and gas (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $31K 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 Wichita Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a rotary drill operators, oil and ga afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wichita Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,136/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for rotary drill operators, oil and gas in Wichita Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new rotary drill operators, oil and gas typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,795/month. At HUD’s $1,136/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Wichita Falls?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $58K here vs. $68K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wichita Falls compare to the national average for rotary drill operators, oil and gas?
Wichita Falls pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do rotary drill operators, oil and gas make in Wichita Falls, TX?
The median is $57,700 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,580, and experienced rotary drill operators, oil and gas can clear $78,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Wichita Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,033/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,136/month, which eats 28.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a rotary drill operators, oil and gas salary go in Wichita Falls?
Wichita Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 89.51 (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 $64,462 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.