Construction & Extraction
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
Also called: Daylight Driller, Drill Operator, Driller, Motor Man
US median pay
$67,890
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+0.8%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
1,100
12,700 employed
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Set up or operate a variety of drills to remove underground oil and gas, or remove core samples for testing during oil and gas exploration.
What they do day to day
- Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
- Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
- Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
- Push levers and brake pedals to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
- Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
- Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
- Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
- Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
- Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
- Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.6/5
- Operation and Control3.6/5
- Instructing3.4/5
- Coordination3.2/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Troubleshooting3.0/5
- Repairing3.0/5
Knowledge
- Mechanical3.9/5
- Mathematics3.8/5
- Administration and Management3.3/5
- Education and Training3.2/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.1/5
- Public Safety and Security2.8/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): No formal educational credential, plus less than 5 years of related work experience.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Less than high school31%
- High school diploma29%
- Some college22%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.