10.4% higher than the US national median ($58,614)
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Is this a competitive Derrick Operators salary in Colorado in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS September 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q3 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$47K
P25$55K
P50$65K
P75$77K
P90$79K
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Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- manufacturing openings are at 4.4% (JOLTS, September 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
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Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q3 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $64,730 to $77,106 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Derrick Operators pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Pay trend
Median pay for this role fell 6.6% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.1% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).
Hiring demand · MODERATE
Manufacturing is running a 4.4% job-openings rate with quits at 1.6% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.8% to 4.4% over the past quarter.
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 1.9 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.
What changed recently
Nov 3, 2026JOLTS September 2026: sector openings rose to 4.4% (up 54K), with durable goods at 4.9%. Quits held at 1.6% and layoffs stayed low at 0.8%.
Oct 30, 2026ECI Q3 2026: manufacturing wages rose 3.1% over the year, down from 3.3% in Q2.
Sep 29, 2026JOLTS August 2026: sector openings eased to 4.0% (down 54K) after July's durable-goods jump, which held at 4.4% on revision. Quits rose to 1.6%, led by nondurable goods.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS September 2026, ECI Q3 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The median salary for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas in Colorado is $64,730 per year ($31.12/hr). This is 10.4% higher than the national median of $58,614.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.
Wage Percentiles: Colorado
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours) · National adjusted
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
vs National
P10Entry level
$22.81
$47,445
+9.3%
P25
$26.52
$55,162
+10.6%
P50MEDIAN
$31.12
$64,730
+10.4%
P75
$37.07
$77,106
+7.7%
P90Top earners
$38.14
$79,331
-3.0%
How Colorado compares for Derrick Operators
Computed from this state's own BLS distribution against national
Pay for Derrick Operators in Colorado is above national (+9.3%) at entry but below national (-3.0%) at the top, so local pay sits relatively lower toward the senior end of the range.
An offer at the national median of $58,614 would sit at about the 34th percentile in Colorado.
The top of the range earns 1.67 times the bottom here against 1.89 times nationally, so pay for this role is more compressed between entry and senior levels in Colorado.
Colorado employs 290 people in this role, 2.7% of the national total.
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P10–P90 breakdown, career outlook, industry wages, and JOLTS market signal for Derrick Operators
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Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+0.5%
Little or no change
Annual openings
1K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
11K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
1% from new growth99% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
No formal educational credential
Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 2 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Support Activities for Mining
NAICS 213100
9K
$57,480
Oil and Gas Extraction
NAICS 211100
1K
$83,580
Wage range across top 5 industries: $57,480 to $83,580 (45% spread)
See the complete picture
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median derrick operators, oil and gas salary in Colorado?
The median (P50) annual salary for Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas in Colorado is approximately $64,730, based on BLS OEWS May 2025 data. This is 10.4% higher than the national median of $58,614. For the full P10–P90 breakdown and market context, open CompSignal.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
