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The average drilling manager salary stands at $114,100 annually, translating to approximately $55 per hour. This figure reflects a combination of factors, including experience, geographic location, and specific industry demands.
Entry-level drilling managers often start at lower salaries, while experienced professionals can earn significantly more. Typically, those with more than ten years in the field can see salaries exceeding $130,000 per year.
States such as Texas, Alaska, and North Dakota offer some of the highest salaries for drilling managers, often due to the concentration of the oil and gas industry in these areas.
With a growing demand for energy and natural resources, opportunities for drilling managers are expanding. Prospective candidates should consider roles in both traditional energy sectors and emerging markets focused on sustainable practices.
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The average drilling manager salary in Alaska, Washington, and Massachusetts are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average drilling manager salary states are Utah, Arkansas, and Maryland.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $144,486 | $69.46 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $129,755 | $62.38 |
| 3 | Washington | $148,548 | $71.42 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $147,793 | $71.05 |
| 5 | Delaware | $123,176 | $59.22 |
| 6 | Alaska | $166,354 | $79.98 |
| 7 | New York | $142,800 | $68.65 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $112,588 | $54.13 |
| 9 | Illinois | $119,698 | $57.55 |
| 10 | Oregon | $127,960 | $61.52 |
| 11 | Texas | $120,608 | $57.98 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $131,987 | $63.46 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $121,988 | $58.65 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $123,083 | $59.17 |
| 15 | Maine | $113,146 | $54.40 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $123,294 | $59.28 |
| 17 | Missouri | $117,354 | $56.42 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $121,278 | $58.31 |
| 19 | New Jersey | $119,878 | $57.63 |
| 20 | Indiana | $107,571 | $51.72 |
| 21 | Ohio | $106,398 | $51.15 |
| 22 | Vermont | $116,495 | $56.01 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $111,034 | $53.38 |
| 24 | Arizona | $110,126 | $52.95 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $112,611 | $54.14 |
| 26 | California | $116,439 | $55.98 |
| 27 | Kansas | $109,244 | $52.52 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $106,865 | $51.38 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $108,130 | $51.99 |
| 30 | Nevada | $106,197 | $51.06 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $109,528 | $52.66 |
| 32 | Michigan | $103,495 | $49.76 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $109,092 | $52.45 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $106,138 | $51.03 |
| 35 | Colorado | $109,517 | $52.65 |
| 36 | Alabama | $104,515 | $50.25 |
| 37 | Iowa | $103,133 | $49.58 |
| 38 | Idaho | $106,369 | $51.14 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $104,689 | $50.33 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $95,435 | $45.88 |
| 41 | Montana | $107,630 | $51.75 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $111,179 | $53.45 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $100,162 | $48.15 |
| 44 | Florida | $98,879 | $47.54 |
| 45 | Maryland | $93,389 | $44.90 |
| 46 | Utah | $94,666 | $45.51 |
| 47 | Virginia | $88,892 | $42.74 |
| 48 | Georgia | $98,367 | $47.29 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $91,649 | $44.06 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $94,375 | $45.37 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $85,381 | $41.05 |
The highest-paying cities for drilling managers are Charleston, WV, The Woodlands, TX, and Houston, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston, WV | $122,407 | $58.85 |
| 2 | The Woodlands, TX | $120,342 | $57.86 |
| 3 | Houston, TX | $120,138 | $57.76 |
| 4 | Irwindale, CA | $115,092 | $55.33 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $109,597 | $52.69 |
| 6 | Elko, NV | $105,900 | $50.91 |
| 7 | Trussville, AL | $104,330 | $50.16 |
| 8 | Miami, FL | $96,345 | $46.32 |
A drilling manager's salary ranges from $77,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $168,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $168,000 | $14,000 | $81 |
| 75th Percentile | $139,000 | $11,583 | $67 |
| Average | $114,100 | $9,508 | $55 |
| 25th Percentile | $93,000 | $7,750 | $45 |
| 10th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
The highest paying types of drilling managers are supervisor and project manager, assistant superintendent, and electrical contractor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Supervisor | $61,029 | $5,086 | $29.34 | 38,478 |
| Project Supervisor | $53,609 | $4,467 | $25.77 | 20,450 |
| Site Supervisor | $48,250 | $4,021 | $23.20 | 20,025 |
| Crew Supervisor | $41,760 | $3,480 | $20.08 | 68,330 |
| Crew Foreman | $51,929 | $4,327 | $24.97 | 70,468 |
| Construction Supervisor | $62,881 | $5,240 | $30.23 | 32,487 |
Top companies hiring drilling managers now:
Drilling manager salaries at Patterson-UTI Energy and B & P Enterprises are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average drilling manager salary at companies like Oil Field Development Engineering, Llc and Dyno Nobel are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patterson-UTI Energy | $113,553 | $54.59 |
| 2 | B & P Enterprises | $111,510 | $53.61 |
| 3 | Oil Field Development Engineering, Llc | $110,360 | $53.06 |
| 4 | Dyno Nobel | $107,566 | $51.71 |
| 5 | Vulcan Materials | $85,110 | $40.92 |
The average drilling manager salary has risen by $14,615 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average drilling manager earned $99,485 annually, but today, they earn $114,100 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for drilling managers over the last decade.
Compare drilling manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare drilling manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $114,000 | $54.86 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $111,000 | $53.54 | +1.5% |
| 2023 | $110,000 | $52.75 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $108,000 | $51.81 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $106,000 | $50.93 | +1.4% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visitgreenvillesc | Specialty Drill Manager | Greenville, SC | 02/19/2025 | $43,200 |
| Anglogold Ashanti Limited | Category Manager: Logistics, Raise Bore Drilling Category Manager: Production Drilling | Greenwood Village, CO | 02/18/2025 | $130,000 |
| Anglogold Ashanti Limited | Category Manager: Production Drillingcategory Manager: Logistics, Raise Bore Drilling | Greenwood Village, CO | 10/23/2024 | $207,000 |
| Exceed Geo Energy LLC | Geothermal Drilling and Completions Manager | Austin, TX | 10/11/2024 | $165,000 |
| Exceed Geo Energy LLC | Geothermal Drilling and Completions Manager | Austin, TX | 10/10/2024 | $165,000 |
| Anglogold Ashanti Limited | Category Manager: Logistics, Raise Bore Drilling Category Manager: Production Drilling | Greenwood Village, CO | 09/26/2024 | $130,000 |
| Latitude Agency | Drilling Manager | Fort Myers, FL | 09/24/2024 | $70,000 |
| Anglogold Ashanti Limited | Category Manager: Logistics, Raise Bore Drilling Category Manager: Production Drilling | Greenwood Village, CO | 09/11/2024 | $130,000 |
| Latitude Agency | Geotechnical Drilling Manager | Fort Myers, FL | 07/29/2024 | $70,000 |
| Latitude Agency | Geotechnical Drilling Manager | Fort Myers, FL | 07/29/2024 | $70,000 |
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