The average salary for a rotary drill operator in Virginia is around $61,410 per year.
Avg Salary
Rotary drill operators earn an average yearly salary of $61,410.
Wages typically start from $44,320 and go up to $72,070.
17% below national average Updated in 2025
Rotary drill operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level rotary drill operator earnings begin at:
$34.65 per hour
$72,070 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level rotary drill operator earnings begin at:
$30.56 per hour
$63,570 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level rotary drill operator earnings begin at:
$29.52 per hour
$61,410 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level rotary drill operator earnings begin at:
$26.84 per hour
$55,830 per year
10th percentile
Starting level rotary drill operator earnings begin at:
$21.31 per hour
$44,320 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Rotary drill operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $85,470 |
| New Mexico | $82,780 |
| Colorado | $79,830 |
| Nebraska | $79,140 |
| Texas | $77,840 |
| Missouri | $75,150 |
| North Dakota | $71,280 |
| Utah | $70,400 |
| Alabama | $67,400 |
| Mississippi | $67,290 |
| New York | $67,000 |
| California | $65,520 |
| Ohio | $63,600 |
| Arizona | $62,920 |
| Florida | $61,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,780 |
| Virginia | $61,410 |
| Wyoming | $61,000 |
| Kansas | $60,600 |
| Tennessee | $58,780 |
| North Carolina | $57,760 |
| West Virginia | $57,020 |
| Minnesota | $56,660 |
| Georgia | $55,400 |
| Oklahoma | $55,160 |
| Maryland | $55,060 |
| Michigan | $54,020 |
| Louisiana | $49,410 |
| Montana | $48,420 |
| Illinois | $47,130 |
| Indiana | $47,060 |
| Kentucky | $38,520 |
| Arkansas | $37,700 |
How do rotary drill operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Rotary drill operators earn about the same as related careers in Virginia. On average, they make less than crane operators but more than riggers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Crane operator salary | $67K |
| Mining machine operator salary | $63K |
| Petroleum pump system operator salary | $59K |
| Boilermaker salary | $68K |
| Pump operator salary | $66K |
| Rotary drill operator salary | $61K |
| Jeweler salary | $62K |
| Gem worker salary | $62K |
| Extraction worker salary | $50K |
| Rigger salary | $64K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)