# Oil and gas salary statistics 2026: engineers and rig workers

> In the US, petroleum engineers had a median salary of $144,910 in May 2025, and $180,080 at oil and gas producers. Oil rig workers earned less: $46,960 for roustabouts and $67,890 for drillers. On RigJobsDirect in October 2026, the median advertised salary across 1,333 energy job ads was $116,100 a year.

Source: RigJobsDirect, https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/oil-and-gas-salary-statistics-2026
Category: Salaries. Last updated: 2026-10-16.

Oil and gas salary statistics differ a lot by job and by country, but the official numbers give a clear picture. In the United States, **petroleum engineers had a median salary of $144,910 in May 2025**, rising to **$180,080** at oil and gas producers. **Oil rig workers earn less**: the median was $46,960 for roustabouts and $67,890 for rotary drill operators (drillers). In Norway, well drillers earned a median of **NOK 80,300 a month** in 2025. On RigJobsDirect, the median advertised salary across 1,333 energy job ads in October 2026 was **$116,100 a year**.

This page collects the latest official figures and our own job ad data in one place, with the sample and date for each number. Salaries are before tax. For the Gulf, where most pay is tax-free and split into basic salary and allowances, see our guide to [Gulf oil and gas salaries and benefits](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/oil-gas-salaries-benefits-gulf).

## Key oil and gas salary statistics at a glance

| Statistic | Figure | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Petroleum engineer median salary, US | $144,910 a year ($69.67 an hour) | BLS, May 2025 |
| Petroleum engineer median, US oil and gas extraction | $180,080 a year | BLS, May 2025 |
| Oil and gas worker median, US | $51,650 a year ($24.83 an hour) | BLS, May 2025 |
| Rotary drill operator (driller) median, US | $67,890 a year | BLS, May 2025 |
| Roustabout median, US | $46,960 a year | BLS, May 2025 |
| Well drillers, Norway, median monthly earnings | NOK 80,300 | SSB, 2025 |
| Geologists and geophysicists, Norway, median monthly earnings | NOK 95,040 | SSB, 2025 |
| Mining (incl. oil and gas), Australia, average weekly earnings | A$3,224.20 | ABS, May 2026 |
| Median advertised energy salary on RigJobsDirect | $116,100 a year (1,333 ads) | RigJobsDirect, October 2026 |

Sources: [BLS petroleum engineers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm), [BLS oil and gas workers](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/oil-and-gas-workers.htm), [SSB table 11418](https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/11418), [ABS](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/average-weekly-earnings-australia/latest-release), [RigJobsDirect October 2026 report](https://rigjobsdirect.com/reports/2026-10).

## Petroleum engineer salary

### United States

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that petroleum engineers earned a median of **$144,910 a year** in May 2025, or **$69.67 an hour**. That is about **$12,100 a month** before tax. There were 18,500 petroleum engineering jobs in 2025, and BLS projects only 2% growth from 2025 to 2035, slower than average. The usual entry requirement is a bachelor's degree ([BLS](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm)).

Pay depends a lot on who employs you:

| Industry (US, May 2025) | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Oil and gas extraction (operators and producers) | $180,080 |
| Management of companies and enterprises | $171,710 |
| Petroleum and coal products manufacturing | $165,210 |
| Support activities for mining (oilfield services) | $126,600 |
| Engineering services | $96,040 |

Source: [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm).

So an engineer at an oil company typically earns more than one at a service company or consultancy, though service companies often add field bonuses. BLS publishes national figures; it does not split this page by state, so searches like "petroleum engineer salary Texas" or "petroleum engineer salary Houston" are best answered by real job ads. Houston had the highest median advertised salary of any city in our October 2026 report: **$138,950** across 41 ads with a salary ([report](https://rigjobsdirect.com/reports/2026-10)). See current [Houston jobs](https://rigjobsdirect.com/jobs/in/houston).

### Norway

Statistics Norway (SSB) publishes monthly earnings by occupation. For full-time employees in 2025 ([SSB table 11418](https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/11418)):

| Occupation (Norway, 2025) | Median monthly earnings | Average monthly earnings |
|---|---|---|
| All occupations | NOK 57,970 | NOK 64,650 |
| Mining managers | NOK 120,840 | NOK 133,140 |
| Mining engineers, metallurgists and related professionals | NOK 98,730 | NOK 103,010 |
| Geologists and geophysicists | NOK 95,040 | NOK 106,150 |
| Well drillers and borers and related workers | NOK 80,300 | NOK 80,440 |
| Petroleum and natural gas refining plant operators | NOK 78,460 | NOK 84,300 |

Monthly earnings in SSB's statistics include agreed monthly earnings, irregular payments and bonuses; overtime pay is not included ([SSB](https://www.ssb.no/en/arbeid-og-lonn/lonn-og-arbeidskraftkostnader/statistikk/lonn)). Norway's occupation codes group petroleum engineers with mining engineers, so the "mining engineers" line is the closest official match. Browse [jobs in Norway](https://rigjobsdirect.com/jobs/in/norway).

## Oil rig worker salary

### United States

BLS groups rig crews as "oil and gas workers". In May 2025 ([BLS](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/oil-and-gas-workers.htm)):

| Occupation | Median annual pay | Jobs (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Rotary drill operators | $67,890 | 12,700 |
| Derrick operators | $58,620 | 10,700 |
| Service unit operators | $58,160 | 43,800 |
| Roustabouts | $46,960 | 45,500 |
| All oil and gas workers | $51,650 | 112,700 |
| All occupations (for comparison) | $50,980 | |

The median oil rig worker salary is about **$4,300 a month**, or **$24.83 an hour**. BLS notes that crews on offshore rigs or in remote areas may spend weeks away from home working long shifts seven days a week, so overtime can lift annual pay well above these medians. BLS projects about 9,900 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who leave.

For how pay grows from roustabout to driller and toolpusher, with real job ad pay, see our guide to [the drilling career ladder](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/the-drilling-career-ladder-roustabout-to-toolpusher).

### Entry-level oil rig pay in job ads

US ads with stated pay on RigJobsDirect in October 2026 started at $16 an hour for an entry-level wireline operator and $18 an hour for a cementing operator assistant (both Halliburton, Fort Lupton), with rig crew jobs at Precision Drilling at $31 an hour in the Rocky Mountains. Browse [drilling and wells jobs](https://rigjobsdirect.com/jobs/role/drilling).

## Australia: the highest-paying industry

Australia's average weekly earnings survey shows that full-time adults in mining, which includes oil and gas extraction, earned an average of **A$3,224.20 a week** in May 2026, against **A$2,083.70** across all industries ([ABS](https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/average-weekly-earnings-australia/latest-release)). That is about A$167,700 a year. For FIFO work and visas, see our guide to [FIFO and oil and gas jobs in Australia](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/oil-and-gas-jobs-in-australia-for-foreigners-fifo).

## What energy job ads pay: RigJobsDirect data

Our [October 2026 report](https://rigjobsdirect.com/reports/2026-10) looked at the 11,576 jobs live on RigJobsDirect on 15 October 2026, from 214 employers. These are energy jobs in oil and gas, power and renewables, not only oil and gas. Key salary facts:

- **21%** of ads (2,391) stated a salary in some form.
- The **median advertised yearly salary was $116,100**, from 1,333 ads with a yearly salary in US dollars. The usual range (10th to 90th percentile) ran from $66,000 to $193,348.
- Hourly salaries and other currencies are left out of these medians.

Median advertised salary by role:

| Role | Median | Usual range | Ads (n) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Instrumentation and control | $113,421 | $59,656 to $168,500 | 64 |
| Maintenance and reliability | $109,145 | $54,090 to $191,222 | 110 |
| QA/QC and inspection | $108,800 | $67,429 to $164,000 | 79 |
| Production and operations | $105,000 | $62,500 to $183,200 | 61 |
| Mechanical and piping | $103,350 | $67,560 to $179,044 | 97 |

Only yearly salaries in US dollars are counted, so these figures do not cover ads that state pay in other currencies. You may reuse them with credit to RigJobsDirect under CC BY 4.0, as the report explains.

## Oil and gas salaries in the Gulf, India and elsewhere

Many searches ask for "oil and gas salary in Dubai", "in Kuwait per month" or "in India for freshers". There are no official public statistics on oil and gas pay for these countries that are as detailed as the US or Norwegian data, and Gulf employers rarely publish salaries in ads. What we can say:

- **Gulf:** most salaries are not taxed, and offers are split into basic salary and allowances. Our [Gulf salaries guide](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/oil-gas-salaries-benefits-gulf) explains how to compare offers.
- **India:** international energy companies employ many engineers in India; see our guide to [oil and gas jobs abroad for Indian engineers](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/oil-and-gas-jobs-abroad-for-indian-engineers) for the move abroad and the rules that protect Indian workers.
- **Wind:** if you are considering a move into renewables, US wind turbine technicians had a median of $64,120 in 2025; see our [GWO training guide](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/from-oil-and-gas-to-offshore-wind-gwo).

## How to read these numbers

- **Median, not average.** Half of workers earn more than the median and half earn less. Averages are pulled up by a few very high earners.
- **Before tax.** All figures are gross pay.
- **Overtime and rotation.** Rig and field pay often includes large overtime or rotation allowances, which official medians may or may not include. SSB's monthly earnings, for example, exclude overtime.
- **Different years.** BLS figures are for May 2025, SSB for 2025, ABS for May 2026 and our ad data for October 2026.
- **Exchange rates.** We have not converted NOK or AUD figures, because exchange rates move.

These figures are general information, not financial advice. Check the official links for the latest releases.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the average oil and gas salary?

There is no single global figure. In the US, the median for oil and gas workers was $51,650 in May 2025, and $144,910 for petroleum engineers. The median advertised salary on RigJobsDirect in October 2026 was $116,100 across 1,333 energy job ads.

### How much does a petroleum engineer make per month?

In the US, the May 2025 median of $144,910 a year is about $12,100 a month before tax. At oil and gas producers, the median was $180,080 a year, about $15,000 a month.

### How much do oil rig workers make?

In the US, the May 2025 median was $46,960 for roustabouts, $58,620 for derrick operators and $67,890 for drillers. Overtime and rotation pay can raise annual earnings well above these medians.

### Do offshore oil rig workers earn more?

Often, because of rotation allowances, overtime and offshore premiums, but official statistics do not separate onshore and offshore pay. Check the pay and rotation in each ad.

### Which oil and gas jobs pay the most?

Among the official data here, managers and engineers at oil and gas producers earn the most: a median of $180,080 for US petroleum engineers in oil and gas extraction and NOK 120,840 a month for mining managers in Norway.

## Related

- [The drilling career ladder: roustabout to toolpusher](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/the-drilling-career-ladder-roustabout-to-toolpusher)
- [Field engineer jobs at SLB, Halliburton and Baker Hughes](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/graduate-and-field-engineer-jobs-slb-halliburton-baker-hughes)
- [Oil and gas salaries and benefits in the Gulf](https://rigjobsdirect.com/guides/oil-gas-salaries-benefits-gulf)
- [Monthly reports on energy jobs](https://rigjobsdirect.com/reports)

## Sources

- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/oil-and-gas-workers.htm
- https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/11418
- https://www.ssb.no/en/arbeid-og-lonn/lonn-og-arbeidskraftkostnader/statistikk/lonn
- https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/average-weekly-earnings-australia/latest-release
- https://rigjobsdirect.com/reports/2026-10