Drilling Oil and Gas Wells — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the drilling oil and gas wells industry earns $117,039 per year ($56.27/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Drilling Oil and Gas Wells Workers Earn?
At $117,039/year (equivalent to $56.27/hour for a full-time worker), drilling oil and gas wells wages are significantly above the national average of ~$65,000.
Higher wages in this industry typically reflect specialized skills, professional certifications, or technical expertise required for the work. Employers competing for talent in this space face elevated labor costs.
The typical drilling oil and gas wells business employs 23 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average drilling oil and gas wells business generating $19.8M/year with 23 employees at $117,039 each, total payroll represents roughly 13.6% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a drilling oil and gas wellsbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $152,151/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 23 employees = ~$2,691,897/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $56.27/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $19.8M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Drilling Oil and Gas Wells revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do drilling oil and gas wells employees make?
- The average drilling oil and gas wells employee earns $117,039 per year, which is equivalent to $56.27/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the drilling oil and gas wells industry?
- The drilling oil and gas wells industry employs 47,742 workers across 2,101 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 23 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).