Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in New Mexico

Is New Mexico a good place for you to work as an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator?

You’re in luck! Jobs for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in New Mexico are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.

• Projected employment for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in New Mexico is growing faster than average.

• Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in New Mexico earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For an Oil and Gas Derrick Operator Career?

• Construction Trades
• Plumbing & Water Supply
• Well Drilling/Driller

How Many Oil and Gas Derrick Operators Work in New Mexico?

In New Mexico, there were 1,140 people working as Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in the year 2018.

There were 1,160 Oil and Gas Derrick Operators employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 20 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 255 Oil and Gas Derrick Operators working in it, which means New Mexico has more Oil and Gas Derrick Operators than average.

Job Projections for New Mexico

Jobs for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in this state are growing at a rate of 24.4% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 25.2%.

New Mexico Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates there will be 140 annual job openings, and 1,120 total jobs in 2026 for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators in this state.

Nationwide, the prediction is 1,800 annual jobs and 13,900 total jobs in 2026.

What do Oil and Gas Derrick Operators Make in New Mexico?

In 2018 wages for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators ranged from $33,840 to $67,350 with $46,480 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $16.27 to $32.38. The median hourly rate was $22.35.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $21.53 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.82.

The median salary in New Mexico is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top New Mexico Metros for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Oil and Gas Derrick Operators.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Farmington, NM	290	$44,290

Top States for Oil and Gas Derrick Operators Employment

View the list below to see where most Oil and Gas Derrick Operators work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Texas	5,570	$43,870
New Mexico	1,140	$46,480
Oklahoma	980	$47,890
California	680	$50,770
North Dakota	650	$59,960
Louisiana	350	$45,770
Wyoming	260	$55,860
Colorado	250	$53,090
Pennsylvania	240	$47,610
Mississippi	160	$44,050
Alaska	120	$55,150
Kansas	70	$39,290
Arkansas	70	$39,750
Michigan	50	$42,000

Below are the states where Oil and Gas Derrick Operators get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
North Dakota	$59,960
Wyoming	$55,860
Alaska	$55,150
Colorado	$53,090
California	$50,770
Montana	$48,110
Oklahoma	$47,890
Pennsylvania	$47,610
New Mexico	$46,480
Louisiana	$45,770

Related Careers in New Mexico

Discover similar careers:

Occupation	New Mexico Employment Total
Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining	1,770
Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas	930

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• Image Credit: By Tomwsulcer under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.