Best states for a drilling engineer

Q: What is the best state for drilling engineers?

The best state to be a drilling engineer is Delaware based on drilling engineer salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for drilling engineers?

The highest paying state for drilling engineers is Arkansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for drilling engineers?

The worst state for drilling engineers is Kentucky, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for drilling engineers? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for drilling engineer jobs.In fact, our research shows that Delaware is the best state for drilling engineers in America. The best city in America for drilling engineers with the highest pay is Reno, NV.

We figured that the best places for drilling engineer jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.If you are currently seeking employment as a drilling engineer, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for drilling engineers in 2026

1. Delaware
Total drilling engineer jobs: 90
Average annual salary: $123,222
Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $181,000
Location Quotient:
1.55
Drilling engineer jobs in Delaware
2. Nevada
Total drilling engineer jobs: 90
Average annual salary: $129,559
Lowest 10 percent earn: $88,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000
Location Quotient:
0.93
Drilling engineer jobs in Nevada
3. New Hampshire
Total drilling engineer jobs: 79
Average annual salary: $122,180
Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Drilling engineer jobs in New Hampshire
4. District of Columbia
Total drilling engineer jobs: 254
Average annual salary: $122,515
Lowest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $180,000
Location Quotient:
3.27
Drilling engineer jobs in District of Columbia
5. Rhode Island
Total drilling engineer jobs: 41
Average annual salary: $124,003
Lowest 10 percent earn: $83,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $184,000
Location Quotient:
0.73
Drilling engineer jobs in Rhode Island
6. Arizona
Total drilling engineer jobs: 301
Average annual salary: $109,221
Lowest 10 percent earn: $74,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $160,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Drilling engineer jobs in Arizona
7. Alaska
Total drilling engineer jobs: 35
Average annual salary: $114,851
Lowest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $166,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Drilling engineer jobs in Alaska
8. Virginia
Total drilling engineer jobs: 871
Average annual salary: $105,099
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000
Location Quotient:
2
Drilling engineer jobs in Virginia
9. Florida
Total drilling engineer jobs: 556
Average annual salary: $117,748
Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $178,000
Location Quotient:
0.77
Drilling engineer jobs in Florida
10. Washington
Total drilling engineer jobs: 593
Average annual salary: $105,230
Lowest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000
Location Quotient:
1.76
Drilling engineer jobs in Washington

Drilling engineer jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a drilling engineer

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a drilling engineer

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Delaware	$123,222	$83,000	961,939	90
2	Nevada	$129,559	$88,000	2,998,039	90
3	New Hampshire	$122,180	$81,000	1,342,795	79
4	District of Columbia	$122,515	$82,000	693,972	254
5	Rhode Island	$124,003	$83,000	1,059,639	41
6	Arizona	$109,221	$74,000	7,016,270	301
7	Alaska	$114,851	$79,000	739,795	35
8	Virginia	$105,099	$71,000	8,470,020	871
9	Florida	$117,748	$77,000	20,984,400	556
10	Washington	$105,230	$71,000	7,405,743	593
11	Texas	$104,673	$70,000	28,304,596	896
12	Wyoming	$101,487	$68,000	579,315	31
13	Vermont	$100,415	$66,000	623,657	37
14	New Mexico	$104,368	$70,000	2,088,070	57
15	Maine	$103,258	$67,000	1,335,907	40
16	New York	$99,535	$67,000	19,849,399	703
17	Idaho	$100,018	$67,000	1,716,943	51
18	Indiana	$99,380	$66,000	6,666,818	209
19	Montana	$100,030	$67,000	1,050,493	36
20	California	$99,216	$67,000	39,536,653	2,335
21	Colorado	$97,501	$66,000	5,607,154	378
22	Connecticut	$104,299	$70,000	3,588,184	94
23	North Carolina	$94,603	$63,000	10,273,419	368
24	New Jersey	$99,542	$67,000	9,005,644	247
25	West Virginia	$96,666	$65,000	1,815,857	38
26	Illinois	$95,208	$63,000	12,802,023	460
27	Massachusetts	$92,842	$61,000	6,859,819	476
28	North Dakota	$94,811	$64,000	755,393	24
29	Oregon	$89,403	$60,000	4,142,776	337
30	Maryland	$92,077	$62,000	6,052,177	462
31	Michigan	$90,353	$60,000	9,962,311	268
32	Nebraska	$89,229	$60,000	1,920,076	96
33	Mississippi	$95,181	$63,000	2,984,100	38
34	Hawaii	$94,468	$63,000	1,427,538	32
35	Pennsylvania	$89,678	$60,000	12,805,537	338
36	Wisconsin	$90,706	$60,000	5,795,483	130
37	Missouri	$89,968	$60,000	6,113,532	128
38	Iowa	$87,460	$58,000	3,145,711	75
39	Georgia	$81,602	$54,000	10,429,379	383
40	Oklahoma	$86,343	$58,000	3,930,864	66
41	Louisiana	$84,461	$56,000	4,684,333	92
42	Utah	$69,802	$47,000	3,101,833	161
43	Minnesota	$70,902	$47,000	5,576,606	292
44	Kansas	$85,326	$57,000	2,913,123	62
45	Alabama	$67,530	$45,000	4,874,747	171
46	South Dakota	$77,103	$52,000	869,666	28
47	Tennessee	$80,880	$54,000	6,715,984	110
48	South Carolina	$76,439	$51,000	5,024,369	114
49	Ohio	$65,479	$44,000	11,658,609	293
50	Arkansas	$56,987	$38,000	3,004,279	68
51	Kentucky	$61,185	$41,000	4,454,189	71

Highest paying states for drilling engineers

Rank	State	Avg. Drilling Engineer Salary
1	Delaware	$123,222
2	Nevada	$129,559
3	New Hampshire	$122,180
4	District of Columbia	$122,515
5	Rhode Island	$124,003
6	Arizona	$109,221
7	Alaska	$114,851
8	Virginia	$105,099
9	Florida	$117,748
10	Washington	$105,230
11	Texas	$104,673
12	Wyoming	$101,487
13	Vermont	$100,415
14	New Mexico	$104,368
15	Maine	$103,258
16	New York	$99,535
17	Idaho	$100,018
18	Indiana	$99,380
19	Montana	$100,030
20	California	$99,216
21	Colorado	$97,501
22	Connecticut	$104,299
23	North Carolina	$94,603
24	New Jersey	$99,542
25	West Virginia	$96,666
26	Illinois	$95,208
27	Massachusetts	$92,842
28	North Dakota	$94,811
29	Oregon	$89,403
30	Maryland	$92,077
31	Michigan	$90,353
32	Nebraska	$89,229
33	Mississippi	$95,181
34	Hawaii	$94,468
35	Pennsylvania	$89,678
36	Wisconsin	$90,706
37	Missouri	$89,968
38	Iowa	$87,460
39	Georgia	$81,602
40	Oklahoma	$86,343
41	Louisiana	$84,461
42	Utah	$69,802
43	Minnesota	$70,902
44	Kansas	$85,326
45	Alabama	$67,530
46	South Dakota	$77,103
47	Tennessee	$80,880
48	South Carolina	$76,439
49	Ohio	$65,479
50	Arkansas	$56,987
51	Kentucky	$61,185

Drilling engineer best states FAQs

What is the best state for drilling engineers?

What is the highest paying state for drilling engineers?

What is the worst state for drilling engineers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common architecture and engineering questions.

Search for drilling engineer jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse architecture and engineering jobs

Total drilling engineer jobs:	90
Average annual salary:	$123,222
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$83,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$181,000
Location Quotient:	1.55

Best states for a drilling engineer

10 best states for drilling engineers in 2026

1. Delaware

2. Nevada

3. New Hampshire

4. District of Columbia

5. Rhode Island

6. Arizona

7. Alaska

8. Virginia

9. Florida

10. Washington