Oil rig workers in the US earned a median of $51,650 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pay depends on the job: entry-level roustabouts earn less, drillers more, and engineers and managers the most. This guide gives the figures by role, plus schedules, qualifications and risks.
How Much Do Oil Rig Workers Make?
The BLS puts the median annual wage for oil and gas workers at $51,650 (May 2025). Roustabouts earn a median of $46,960, derrick operators $58,620 and rotary drill operators (drillers) $67,890. Petroleum engineers earn a median of $144,910.
| Role | Median annual wage | Lowest 10% to top 10% |
|---|---|---|
| Roustabout | $46,960 | $36,420 – $64,530 |
| Service unit operator | $58,160 | $38,940 – $97,560 |
| Derrick operator (derrickhand) | $58,620 | $43,380 – $81,800 |
| Rotary drill operator (driller) | $67,890 | $47,010 – $101,860 |
| Industrial machinery mechanic (all industries) | $64,520 | $46,120 – $95,170 |
| Petroleum engineer | $144,910 | $81,440 – $253,200 |
Figures are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025, via O*NET OnLine. They cover onshore and offshore work together and do not include overtime or offshore allowances paid by individual employers.
Do Offshore Oil Rig Workers Earn More Than Onshore Workers?
Official US statistics do not separate offshore from onshore oil and gas pay. Offshore pay depends on each employer’s rotation, overtime and allowances. Offshore crews also work long shifts seven days a week and spend weeks away from home.
The figures above are the best public guide for the US. Pay in other countries, such as the UK or Norway, follows local agreements and is not covered here.
What Jobs Are There on an Oil Rig?
An offshore rig needs a drilling crew, a marine crew and support staff. The drilling crew runs from roustabouts up to the driller and toolpusher. Marine and support roles cover the vessel itself, cranes, maintenance, catering and medical care.
Drilling crew
- Roustabout: entry-level labour on deck: moving equipment, cleaning, loading and general maintenance. Usually the first job offshore, and often no experience is required.
- Floorhand (roughneck): works on the drill floor, handling pipe and tools as the drill string goes in and out of the well.
- Derrickhand: works high in the derrick guiding pipe, and often looks after the mud pumps and drilling fluid.
- Driller: runs the drilling controls, supervises the drill floor crew and watches the well for signs of trouble.
- Toolpusher: the senior drilling supervisor on the rig, in charge of the drilling crews.
Marine, technical and support crew
- Offshore installation manager (OIM): in charge of the whole installation and everyone on it.
- Marine crew: on drillships and semi-submersibles, deck and engine officers run the vessel, and dynamic positioning operators keep it over the well.
- Crane operator: lifts cargo between the rig and supply vessels.
- Mechanics and electricians: maintain engines, pumps, hydraulics and power systems.
- Catering, medic and support: cooks, stewards and the offshore medic keep the crew fed and healthy.
How Much Does an Oil Rig Mechanic Make?
The BLS does not publish a separate figure for oil rig mechanics. The closest occupation, industrial machinery mechanics, earned a median of $64,520 in May 2025 across all industries, with the top 10% above $95,170.
Offshore mechanics usually need trade qualifications and experience with diesel engines, hydraulics or drilling equipment. Rotation and offshore allowances come on top of base pay, so actual earnings vary by employer.
What Schedule Do Oil Rig Workers Work?
Offshore workers live on the rig for a set rotation, working long shifts every day, then go home on leave. The BLS notes that offshore crews may spend weeks away from home.
Rotations such as two weeks on and two weeks off are common, with 12-hour shifts. Travel to the rig is usually by helicopter or crew boat. The exact pattern is set by the employer and the region.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Work on an Oil Rig?
Most entry-level jobs need no formal qualification, though employers often prefer a high school diploma. Offshore, you also need recognised survival and safety training, such as the OPITO BOSIET course, and a medical. Specialist roles need trade or degree qualifications.
- Entry level: no formal credential for roustabouts; many other roles need oil and gas experience (BLS).
- Safety training: employers may require OSHA-compliant safety certification onshore (BLS).
- Offshore survival: BOSIET (Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training) covers helicopter underwater escape (HUET), sea survival, firefighting and first aid. It is valid for four years and renewed with the shorter FOET course.
- Marine crew: officers and ratings on drillships and other vessels need STCW certificates.
The step-by-step route into the industry is covered in how to become an oil rig worker.
How Dangerous Is Working on an Oil Rig?
Offshore oil and gas work carries a high fatality risk. A CDC study found 128 workers were killed in US offshore operations from 2003 to 2010. Their fatality rate was about seven times that of all US workers.
- Transport: transportation events were the leading cause of death, and about three quarters of them involved helicopters, all in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Heights and machinery: work at height, heavy pipe and rotating equipment cause falls and struck-by injuries.
- Fire and explosion: oil and gas under pressure can ignite; the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion killed 11 workers.
- Confined spaces and noise: some work happens in tanks and enclosed spaces, and rig floors are loud (BLS).
Hard hats, harnesses, hearing and eye protection and steel-toed boots are standard. Regular drills and permit-to-work systems manage the higher-risk jobs.
Related Topics
- Types of oil rigs: the units oil rig workers live and work on.
- What is a drillship?: deepwater drilling vessels with both drilling and marine crews.
- Oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico: where most US offshore oil jobs are.
How much do oil rig workers make?
The median annual wage for US oil and gas workers was $51,650 in May 2025, according to the BLS. Roustabouts earned a median of $46,960 and drillers $67,890.
How much does an entry-level oil rig worker make?
Roustabouts, the usual entry-level job, earned a median of $46,960 in May 2025. The lowest 10% earned less than $36,420 and the top 10% more than $64,530.
How much does a driller make on an oil rig?
Rotary drill operators, or drillers, earned a median of $67,890 in May 2025. The top 10% earned more than $101,860.
Do offshore oil rig workers get paid more?
US statistics do not separate offshore pay. Offshore earnings depend on each employer’s rotation, overtime and allowances on top of base pay.
How much does an oil rig mechanic make?
There is no separate BLS figure. Industrial machinery mechanics, the closest occupation, earned a median of $64,520 in May 2025 across all industries.
What is the highest-paid job on an oil rig?
Engineers and senior managers earn the most. Petroleum engineers earned a median of $144,910 in May 2025, and the offshore installation manager leads the rig.
How long do oil rig workers stay offshore?
Workers stay on the rig for a set rotation and then go home on leave. Two weeks on and two weeks off with 12-hour shifts is a common pattern, but it varies by employer.
Do you need qualifications to work on an oil rig?
Entry-level roles usually need no formal credential, but offshore work requires survival training such as BOSIET and a medical. Specialist roles need trade or degree qualifications.
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