The top 22 highest paying industries for rotary drill operators, oil and gas (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $86,190, petroleum and coal products manufacturing is the highest paying industry for rotary drill operators, oil and gas. It is followed by manufacturing industry (average annual salary $84,960). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of rotary drill operators, oil and gas in a specific industry, use the links in the table.
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary i | # of Empl. i |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $86,190 |
390 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $84,960 |
430 |
| 3 | Pipeline Transportation | $83,890 |
50 |
| 4 | Transportation and Warehousing | $57,720 |
160 |
| 5 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $54,920 |
4,210 |
| 6 | Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $54,580 |
40 |
| 7 | Truck Transportation | $54,040 |
n/a |
| 8 | Mining | $52,940 |
24,990 |
| 9 | Support Activities for Mining | $52,570 |
20,740 |
| 10 | Utility System Construction | $50,350 |
n/a |
| 11 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $50,350 |
n/a |
| 12 | Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing | $48,110 |
100 |
| 13 | Rental and Leasing Services | $48,110 |
100 |
| 14 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $48,110 |
100 |
| 15 | Engineering Services | $47,100 |
60 |
| 16 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $45,460 |
110 |
| 17 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $44,400 |
170 |
| 18 | Construction | $44,170 |
400 |
| 19 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $41,180 |
50 |
| 20 | Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $38,270 |
n/a |
| 21 | Specialty Trade Contractors | $38,270 |
n/a |
| 22 | Testing Laboratories | $37,510 |
40 |