SOC 47-5023 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas — Alaska
Alaska · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Alaska is $80,040 per year, well above the national median of $60,190.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Alaska is $80,040 per year, well above the national median of $60,190. The gap of 33.0% is among the widest recorded for this occupation. Pay ranges from under $61,180 at the tenth percentile to more than $94,630 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $61,770 to $94,600.
Employment stands at 290, or 0.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 48 states with published data for this occupation, Alaska ranks 2nd by median wage. Fairbanks leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $94,600. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 196th of 515 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $61,180 | +1.6% |
| 25th | $61,770 | +2.6% |
| Median (50th) | $80,040 | +33.0% |
| 75th | $94,600 | +57.2% |
| 90th | $94,630 | +57.2% |
| Mean | $77,300 | +28.4% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Alaska
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Alaska run 2.4% above the national average, so the median of $80,040 buys what $78,164 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 29.9% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$80,040as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$78,164US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $80,040 a year, 33.0% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $61,180 to $94,630 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 290 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 2nd of 48 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Fairbanks, at $94,600.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas in Alaska?
The median annual wage is $80,040, or $38.48 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $60,190, so pay in Alaska is 33.0% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Alaska earns more than $94,630 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $61,180 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Fairbanks, at $94,600 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 290 jobs in this occupation in Alaska. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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