Plan and oversee the drilling of oil and gas wells safely and efficiently. Median salary in Midland: $120K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Midland, Texas. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Drilling Engineers in Midland earn approximately 8% lower than the US national median for this role — a $10,000 discount on annual base salary. Midland's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 92 (US avg = 100).
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $11,160 per year at this salary level compared to a California Drilling Engineer on the same gross pay. A Midland Drilling Engineer would need to earn $132,304 in California to net the same take-home.
Only 10% of Drilling Engineer positions offer remote flexibility, meaning the Midland salary above represents what local employers actually pay — not a remote-anywhere rate. Geographic constraints reinforce the local market, so the salary range above is more directly applicable than for remote-friendly roles.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $120K by 2030.
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The median Drilling Engineer salary in Midland, TX is $120,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Midland–TX metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Drilling Engineers in Midland with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $92,000 and $120,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $120,000 to $152,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $152,000 to $189,000 or more.
Midland has a cost of living index of 92 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 8% further in Midland than the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Midland-based Drilling Engineers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's degree. 10% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.