BLS metro-level wage data places Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas pay in Wichita Falls, TX at a median of $57,700 per year ($27.74/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $67,890, Wichita Falls pays 15% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 40 rotary drill operators, oil and gass are employed across the Wichita Falls MSA in SOC 47-5012.

The Wichita Falls pay distribution spans from $46,580 at the 10th percentile to $78,000 at the 90th — a 1.7× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $47,500 and the 75th at $73,070, so half of Wichita Falls-based rotary drill operators, oil and gass earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Wichita Falls, TX covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide TX data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.