What are the best paying jobs in oil and gas production? There are more than 10 million jobs in oil and gas production. The industry is growing and it remains one of the highest paid.
Is this the career path to take? Are entry-level jobs available and what are the advantages and disadvantages of working in this career field? Keep reading to learn about the best paying jobs in oil & gas production.
Quickstart Guide To Getting A High-Paying Job In Oil & Gas Production
- Update your resume. Getting a high paying job in oil & gas production is competitive. Think about it like this: you’re selling the company on a major investment in you, so you need to do everything you can to get an edge. Investing a little money to have a professional resume writing service polish up your resume can be the edge you need. Check out our guide to the best resume writing services to get started today.
- Search for jobs on ZipRecruiter. If you are looking for a career in the oil and gas industry, start your search on ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers and you can apply for jobs with a single click!
Discover Your Dream Job Find jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
What Is The Oil & Gas Production Industry?
The oil and gas production industry plays a major role in the U.S. energy security. It helps keep fuel costs lower and the industry supports millions of U.S. jobs.
Careers in oil and gas production are diverse and cover many different jobs across various work settings. The industry supports the global economy and people are drawn to working in this industry for a variety of reasons:
- Competitive salary and benefits
- Strong work-life balance
- Travel opportunities
- Career advancement
It’s one of the best job fields to enter, with an opportunity to earn a high hourly rate without a degree or experience.
10 Of Best Paying Jobs In Oil & Gas Production
1. Subsea Engineer
Median National Salary: $175,268/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 28,500
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 8%
Job Duties: Subsea engineers design and install below sea equipment. The job duties of a subsea engineer may include:
- Managing the installation of wellbeds
- Managing suppliers and contractors
- Provide support to teams across the organization
- Planning and reporting activities
2. Construction Manager
Median National Salary: $98,890/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 448,000
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 11%
Job Duties: The job duties of a construction manager include overseeing the construction project, managing the coordination, planning, and construction activities to ensure it’s completed correctly, on deadline and within the budget.
3. Sales Representative
Median National Salary: $62,890/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 1**,**625,700
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 5%
Job Duties: Sales representatives in the oil and gas industry sell oilfield equipment and supplies.
The job duties of a sales representative include:
- Selling oil and gas supplies, equipment and machinery
- Answering questions and inquiries
- Providing service to customers
4. Rig Welder
Median National Salary: $47,010/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 418,200
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 8%
Job Duties: Rig welders work on oil rigs. They are key personnel within the oil and gas industry and their work involves using equipment to weld metals on rigs like pipe construction, creating beams, and other equipment, along with maintenance and storage.
The job duties of a rig welder include:
- Welding metals together to create and maintain equipment like pipe beams, vessels, etc.
- Equipment maintenance and storage
5. Land Agent
Median National Salary: $48,770/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 518,800
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 4%
Job Duties: A land agent helps facilitate the purchase and/or sale of land.
Land agents help negotiate the purchase of land for commercial purposes.
- Identifying land sites for sale
- Land assessments
- Settling damage claims
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6. Well Tender
Median National Salary: $44,527/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 22,514
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: ~5% to 8%
Job Duties: Well tenders maintain and repair natural gas wells.
Well tenders use heavy machinery to work on natural gas wells. Some of their job duties include:
- Perform equipment safety checks
- Identify potential hazards
- Monitor safety and security of equipment use
- Work coordination activities
7. Petroleum Geologist
Median National Salary: $83,680/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 29,000
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 7%
Job Duties: Petroleum geologists do work related to the discovery and production of oil and natural gas deposits. The job duties of a petroleum geologist include:
- Finding oil and gas deposits from the earth
- Analyze geological data
- Identify sites to explore for oil and natural gas
8. Geophysicist
Median National Salary: $83,680/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 29,000
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 7%
Job Duties: Geophysicists are scientists that study the earth. They do research and conduct experiments to study the earth and rock for oil exploration. Geophysicists study the earth’s surface including gravitational, seismic, and magnetic waves.
9. Mechanical Engineer
Median National Salary: $95,300/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 299,200
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 7%
Job Duties: Mechanical engineers develop and test mechanical products and systems. In the oil and gas industry, their work involves developing equipment used by workers, including pipelines, valves, turbines, etc.
Mechanical engineers can work on a variety of different mechanical products, building and testing this machinery for use by technicians in the oil and gas sector.
10. Chemical Engineer
Median National Salary: $105,550/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 26,300
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 9%
Job Duties: A chemical engineer takes materials and helps convert them to fuel. Chemical engineers manage and supervise chemical processes, design tools and equipment for chemical and manufacturing processes.
How To Get A Good-Paying Job In The Oil & Gas Production Industry
Getting a good-paying job in the oil and gas production industry is about having an impressive set of soft skills like leadership abilities, excellent communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Depending on the direction you take your career, you’ll have to consider other requirements like the ability to lift heavy loads, a college degree, background in science and engineering, and other potential requirements, based on the job.
Requirements And Skills To Work In Oil & Gas Production
The requirements and skills to work in the oil and gas production industry can include:
- Strong communication skills: You’ll be working with others so the ability to communicate well is going to be important.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills: Identifying problems and forging solutions is part of critical thinking and problem-solving, two critical soft skills to possess in this field.
- Time management and organizational skills: Regardless of the position you work in, being able to manage your time and being well-organized are traits you’ll want to have.
Beyond these soft skills, some additional requirements may be needed, depending on the job you pursue.
For example, oil rig workers will need to be able to lift at least 50 pounds while engineers or analysts will need to have at least a bachelor’s degree with qualifications and/or experience in science, mathematics, statistics, or engineering.
Pros and Cons of Oil and Gas Production Careers
The pros of working in an oil and gas career include:
- High pay: Many careers in the oil and gas industry include a high average salary, including hourly workers.
- Upward mobility: This is an industry to grow in, with opportunities for career advancement.
- Working in an evolving industry: Exciting, new developments in oil and gas including the introduction for greener technologies can bring new opportunities.
The cons of working in oil and gas include:
- Long hours and extended time away: This isn’t true for all oil and gas careers but for oil rig positions especially, working long days with extended time away from your family is common.
- Dangerous working conditions: This industry has one of the highest severe injury rates in the world. You’ll be working under hazardous conditions.
- Outdoors work: This could be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your preference. If you don’t prefer working outdoors then this will be a drawback.
Best Places To Find The Best Paying Jobs In Oil & Gas Production
Start your job search by reviewing your resume. These are the best resume services that you can use to create a professional resume to accompany the job applications you submit.
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is a leading career search engine you can use to search and apply for oil and gas production jobs. Tons of job postings will be available, at your fingertips, along with jobseeker reviews, researching salaries, and more. It’s one of the best websites for online career search.
For more information, check out our ZipRecruiter review.
Discover Your Dream Job Start with ZipRecruiter today to find the best candidates out there.
Oil and Gas Job Search
Unlike the other job boards which you can use to search careers in any industry, this job board is for oil and gas jobs only.
Browse job listings by keyword, location, or both. You can also set job alerts, build a resume and cover letter, access courses, get career advice, and read their energy outlook report.
Go to Oil and Gas Job Search to get started.
Indeed
Indeed is a free job search site you can use to conduct your oil and gas career search. The layout of the website is user-friendly and it’s easy to navigate.
For more information, check out our Indeed review.
The Bottom Line
The oil and gas sector is a top career field to work in. If you’re seeking a career with high pay and career advancement opportunities, working in oil and gas may be just what you’re looking for.
When you are ready to start your career search, visit ZipRecruiter.
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