Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$62,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$6,000
9.7% of base
Total target cash
$68,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$3,50050th$6,00075th$10,000
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
ShareLink copied
About this role
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas is a professional role within the function in the Construction and Extraction job family.
Typical entry preparation: Less than a High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.
Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.
Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.
Repair pumps, mud tanks, and related equipment.
Set and bolt crown blocks to posts at tops of derricks.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlCritical ThinkingSpeakingRepairingMonitoring
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pay by experience level
Entry level$45,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$51,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$60,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$74,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$84,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+0.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,000
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas salary by industry
Support Activities for Mining
8,940 workers
$60,000
Support Activities for Mining
8,940 workers
$60,000
Oil and Gas Extraction
1,340 workers
$75,500
Oil and Gas Extraction
1,340 workers
$75,500
Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
70 workers
$68,500
Utility System Construction
70 workers
$68,500
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services$68,000
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services$68,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $47,920 to $58,620.
+22.3% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$45,000
Early career25th percentile
$51,500
Median50th percentile
$60,500
Experienced75th percentile
$74,000
Top earners90th percentile
$84,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlCritical ThinkingSpeakingRepairingMonitoring
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.
Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.
Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.
Repair pumps, mud tanks, and related equipment.
Set and bolt crown blocks to posts at tops of derricks.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$62,500
2027$64,500
2028$67,000
2029$69,500
2030$71,500
2031$74,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
Get your Personal Pay Report for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
Keep your market comparison in a print-ready PDF, with negotiation targets, a script using your numbers, and a five-year market-pay illustration. Career ladder where available.
StateYears of experienceCurrent salary
One-time purchase. Review the final total, including any applicable tax, in Stripe before you pay. Report available immediately after successful payment. Full refund on request within 7 days of purchase. Refund terms. Prefer to explore first? Run a free market check.
Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
Your free market check includes an estimated percentile and pay gap when you enter your salary. The paid report adds a PDF, negotiation targets and script, and a five-year market-pay illustration. See a full sample report
How much does a Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas make?
The median market pay for a Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas in the United States is about $62,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas?
Most Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pay falls between about $51,500 (25th percentile) and $74,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $84,500.
What does a Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas do?
Core responsibilities include: inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered; and inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.
Is pay for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $47,920 in 2020 to $58,620 in 2025, a change of +22.3% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pays 4% below the average across 63 roles in the Construction and Extraction job family (family average $65,000).
Similar-paying roles in Construction and Extraction
Need Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
