How many oil and gas jobs are there in 2026, and where? On 15 October 2026, RigJobsDirect tracked 11,576 live energy jobs at 214 employers, all advertised in English and taken from employers’ own career sites. The United States had by far the most, led by Houston with 551. The biggest role groups were electrical (1,538 jobs), project management and controls (1,469) and maintenance and reliability (1,429). Among the 1,333 ads with a yearly salary in US dollars, the median was $116,100. These figures come from our October 2026 monthly report.
This guide pulls those numbers together with official US data on oil and gas employment, and shows where entry-level, remote and visa-sponsored energy jobs are.
What these numbers are, and what they are not
Our numbers describe the jobs on RigJobsDirect, not the whole job market. We list jobs from employers we have checked, read from their own career sites every day. When we add employers, our job count rises, so a bigger number does not by itself mean more hiring. We say this in every report. For the wider market we use official sources, mainly the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Oil and gas jobs by the numbers (October 2026)
From our October 2026 report, generated on 15 October 2026:
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Live jobs | 11,576 |
| Employers hiring | 214 |
| New jobs found, 1 to 15 October | 15,064 |
| Ads that state a salary (any currency) | 21% (2,391) |
| Ads offering relocation support | 7% (811) |
| Ads open to applicants abroad | 6% (683) |
| Fully remote | 3% (303) |
| Ads mentioning visa sponsorship | 2% (231) |
Oil and gas jobs by country
Live jobs on RigJobsDirect on 16 October 2026:
| Country | Open energy jobs |
|---|---|
| United States | 6,207 |
| India | 889 |
| United Kingdom | 609 |
| United Arab Emirates | 485 |
| Canada | 434 |
| Australia | 331 |
| China | 288 |
| Indonesia | 240 |
| Malaysia | 239 |
| Saudi Arabia | 226 |
| Singapore | 170 |
The US share partly reflects which employers we have added so far.
Top cities for energy jobs
From the October report: Houston (551 jobs), Abu Dhabi (333), Bangalore (187), Chennai (147), Singapore (144), Midland (107), Shanghai (95), Aberdeen (90), Mumbai (90) and Kuala Lumpur (88).
Oil and gas jobs in Texas
Texas dominates US oil and gas hiring on our board. On 16 October 2026 we listed 579 energy jobs in Houston, 107 in Midland and 77 in Odessa. For pay by role in these cities, see our guide to oil and gas salaries in Houston and the Permian.
Oil and gas industry jobs in India
India had 889 energy jobs on our board on 16 October 2026, with Bangalore, Chennai and Mumbai among the top 10 cities worldwide. They include 38 project management and controls jobs in Chennai and 30 in Bangalore.
Oil and gas jobs in Canada and Australia
Canada had 434 jobs (with Calgary and Edmonton among the cities) and Australia 331 (with Perth and Brisbane among them).
Top roles in oil and gas hiring
| Role group | Live jobs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other energy | 1,593 | 14% |
| Electrical | 1,538 | 13% |
| Project management and controls | 1,469 | 13% |
| Maintenance and reliability | 1,429 | 12% |
| Construction and commissioning | 1,108 | 10% |
| QA/QC and inspection | 1,035 | 9% |
| Mechanical and piping | 785 | 7% |
| Production and operations | 615 | 5% |
| HSE | 527 | 5% |
| Instrumentation and control | 524 | 5% |
Source: RigJobsDirect October 2026 report.
Our role guides go deeper: project controls careers, QA/QC inspector careers, HSE careers and electrical and commissioning jobs.
Most requested skills
An ad can name several skills. The most common in October were PLC (618 ads), LNG (552), AutoCAD (534), OSHA (534), SCADA (519), PMP (442), Primavera P6 (333), NDT (321), DCS (305) and HAZOP (218). NEBOSH appeared in 127 ads and API 510 in 82.
Seniority
Most ads (70%) did not state a level. Of those that did, senior was the most common (1,619 jobs), followed by lead (613) and junior (471). Only 66 were internships.
Energy jobs salary: what the ads pay
From 1,333 live ads with a yearly salary in US dollars:
| Group | Median | 10th to 90th percentile | Ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| All jobs | $116,100 | $66,000 to $193,348 | 1,333 |
| Construction and commissioning | $128,470 | $74,641 to $222,087 | 133 |
| Project management and controls | $124,325 | $78,200 to $200,000 | 231 |
| Electrical | $119,125 | $61,331 to $180,020 | 310 |
| HSE | $115,550 | $75,000 to $210,208 | 52 |
| QA/QC and inspection | $108,800 | $67,429 to $164,000 | 79 |
| Production and operations | $105,000 | $62,500 to $183,200 | 61 |
| Houston (all roles) | $138,950 | $80,220 to $218,000 | 41 |
These are advertised salaries in US dollars, so most come from US ads. They are not market averages. For official figures by role, see our guides to rig day rates and Gulf salaries and benefits.
Biggest employers on the board
The employers with the most open jobs in October were Hitachi (735), GE Vernova (588), Westinghouse (478), ABB (426), Bechtel (416), NOV (408), KBR (322), Bureau Veritas (320), Baker Hughes (307) and Halliburton (271). See all companies.
Oil and gas hiring: the official US picture
BLS Current Employment Statistics (BLS CES), seasonally adjusted, pulled from the BLS public data API:
| US industry | Latest | A year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| Oil and gas extraction | 114,100 (September 2026, preliminary) | 115,900 (September 2025) |
| Support activities for oil and gas operations | 208,400 (August 2026, preliminary) | 210,700 (August 2025) |
So US oil and gas employment was roughly flat to slightly down over the year, even as output rose. The EIA expects US crude oil production to average 13.9 million barrels a day in 2026 and 14.3 million in 2027 (EIA STEO, October 2026). BLS projects employment of oil and gas workers to grow 2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than average, from 112,700 jobs in 2025 (BLS).
What this means for you: oil and gas hiring is steady rather than booming in the US. Demand on our board is strongest in power, electrical, project and maintenance roles, which serve oil, gas, LNG and power companies alike.
Oil and gas jobs with no experience or entry level
Entry-level roles are a small share of ads that state a level: 471 junior jobs and 66 internships in October. Field roles such as roustabout, floorhand and operator trainee may also be filled through local offices and hiring events. Our guide on how to get an offshore job with no experience explains the routes.
Oil and gas hiring events
In the Permian Basin, Workforce Solutions Permian Basin runs job fairs; its website listed a Midland Job Fair on 28 October 2026 (Workforce Solutions Permian Basin). Check local workforce boards and colleges for events near you.
Remote energy jobs
On 16 October 2026 we listed 307 fully remote energy jobs, about 3% of the board. Field and plant work is on-site by nature.
Energy jobs with visa sponsorship
Only 2% of ads mentioned visa sponsorship (231 in the October report). See all energy jobs with visa sponsorship and the list of employers sponsoring visas. For working abroad, see our guides on working in the North Sea and on Aramco, ADNOC and other national oil companies.
How to use this report
- Use the country and city tables to see where employers are hiring for your role.
- Compare your offer with the advertised salary medians, remembering they are mostly US figures.
- Set up job alerts for new jobs in your role and city.
You may reuse our report figures with credit to RigJobsDirect under CC BY 4.0, as stated on the report page. Market conditions change monthly, so check the latest report before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
How many oil and gas jobs are there in 2026?
RigJobsDirect tracked 11,576 live energy jobs at 214 employers on 15 October 2026. That is our board, not the whole market. In the US, BLS counted about 114,100 people employed in oil and gas extraction in September 2026 (preliminary).
Where are the most oil and gas jobs?
On our board, the United States, led by Houston, then India, the UK, the UAE and Canada. Abu Dhabi was the second biggest city.
What do energy jobs pay in 2026?
The median advertised salary on RigJobsDirect was $116,100 a year across 1,333 ads with a yearly USD salary, with most between $66,000 and $193,348.
Is the oil and gas industry hiring in 2026?
Yes, but steadily rather than fast. US oil and gas employment was roughly flat over the past year, while electrical, project controls and maintenance roles had the most open jobs on our board.
Are there remote energy jobs?
Yes, but few: about 3% of jobs on RigJobsDirect were fully remote in October 2026, and field and plant jobs are on-site.