What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Oil Rig Operator?

We've identified 10 cities in the United States where Oil Rig Operator jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Pennington County, SD (135.7% above average), followed by Beverly, MA and Kentville, NS. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Pennington County, SD $76,208 $6,350 $1,465 $36.64 Beverly, MA $74,802 $6,233 $1,438 $35.96 Kentville, NS $72,322 $6,026 $1,390 $34.77 Hollis, OK $72,184 $6,015 $1,388 $34.70 Whitehorse, YT $71,862 $5,988 $1,381 $34.55 Carcross, YT $71,820 $5,985 $1,381 $34.53 Haines Junction, YT $71,574 $5,964 $1,376 $34.41 North Cowichan, BC $71,364 $5,947 $1,372 $34.31 Duncan, BC $71,089 $5,924 $1,367 $34.18 Oak Bay, BC $70,960 $5,913 $1,364 $34.12

Oil Rig Operator

Oil Rig Operator Salary

Q: How much does an Oil Rig Operator make?

The average annual pay for an oil rig operator in the United States is $32,333 a year — that works out to approximately $15.54 an hour. The middle 80% of Oil Rig Operators earn between $16,500 (10th percentile) and $48,000 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

Q: What are Top 1 Best Paying Related Oil Rig Operator Jobs in the United States?

We found several jobs related to Oil Rig Operator in the United States that pay more on average. Topping the list is Riggers at $21,781 (67.4%) above Oil Rig Operator. Job Title Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Riggers $54,114 $4,509 $1,040 $26.02

$15K

$30K

$54K

$32,333

/year

$15.54

/hour

Oil Rig Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$32,333

Columbus

Ohio

$31,230

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How much does an Oil Rig Operator make?

As of Jun 11, 2026, the average annual pay for an Oil Rig Operator in the United States is $32,333 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $15.54 an hour. This is the equivalent of $621/week or $2,694/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $54,000 and as low as $15,000, the majority of Oil Rig Operator salaries currently range between $17,500 (25th percentile) to $41,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $48,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Oil Rig Operator varies greatly (by as much as 24000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

An Oil Rig Operator in your area makes on average $31,230 per year, or $1,103 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $32,333. Ohio ranks number 42 out of 50 states nationwide for Oil Rig Operator salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Oil Rig Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as an Oil Rig Operator on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Oil Rig Operator Jobs

We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Oil Rig Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Pennington County, SD, , with Beverly, MA, and Kentville, NS, close behind in the second and third positions. Kentville, NS, beats the national average by $39,989 (123.7%), and Pennington County, SD, furthers that trend with another $43,875 (135.7%) above the $32,333 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Oil Rig Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Pennington County, SD, and Oak Bay, BC, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Oil Rig Operator role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Pennington County, SD	$76,208	$6,350	$1,465	$36.64
Beverly, MA	$74,802	$6,233	$1,438	$35.96
Kentville, NS	$72,322	$6,026	$1,390	$34.77
Hollis, OK	$72,184	$6,015	$1,388	$34.70
Whitehorse, YT	$71,862	$5,988	$1,381	$34.55
Carcross, YT	$71,820	$5,985	$1,381	$34.53
Haines Junction, YT	$71,574	$5,964	$1,376	$34.41
North Cowichan, BC	$71,364	$5,947	$1,372	$34.31
Duncan, BC	$71,089	$5,924	$1,367	$34.18
Oak Bay, BC	$70,960	$5,913	$1,364	$34.12

What are Top 1 Best Paying Related Oil Rig Operator Jobs in the U.S.

Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Oil Rig Operator job category, we found that Riggers jobs have average salaries greater than Oil Rig Operator jobs.

Significantly, Riggers jobs pay $21,781 (67.4%) more than the average Oil Rig Operator salary of $32,333. If you're qualified, finding work as an Riggers may help you make more money than that of the average Oil Rig Operator position.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Riggers	$54,114	$4,509	$1,040	$26.02

About Our Data

ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

Infographic detailing Oil Rig Operator salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $32,333 per year or $15.54 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.

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