Top 8 Highest-paying Oil and Gas Jobs in the USA. The oil industry offers several rewarding careers for individuals interested in a wide range of scientific, engineering, and mechanical roles. This article contains the top 8 highest-paying oil and gas jobs in the USA. The oil and gas industries are a major contributor to the global economy.
With varying education and experience requirements, there are a number of high-paying career paths available for those pursuing a job in the oil industry. Understanding the duties and qualifications needed to secure employment in this sector can help you determine which oil industry role is the best fit for you.
Top 8 Highest-paying Oil and Gas Jobs in the USA
Jobs in an oil field include any position involved in the location, collection, refinement, transportation, or sale of crude oil, petroleum, or natural gas. Individuals in this field typically have an interest in mechanics, engineering, natural science, chemistry, or business administration.
Oil and gas production and distribution processes and systems are very complex, capital-intensive, and require cutting-edge technology. Here is a list of the top 8 highest-paying oil and gas jobs in the USA.
Lists of Highest-paying Oil and Gas Jobs in the USA
Rig Welder
A rig welder is in charge of assembling and welding metal plates and other metal structures that make up the drilling platform and rigs. They ensure the metal infrastructure used to extract, process, and store oil is strong enough to withstand heavy-duty work.
A rig welder is a key player in the oil industry. Rig welders work on oil rigs—large platforms erected to carry out oil drilling, processing, and storage—and use specialized equipment to weld metals on the rig. Rig welders are vital in reinforcing the infrastructure necessary to extract and process oil and, in many cases, natural gases.
They also construct pipes, and bond metals to create beams, vessels, and pipes, and ensure the proper use, maintenance, and storage of welding equipment. The average salary of a rig welder ranges from $83,360 to $144,000.
Project Manager
One of the highest-paying jobs in the oil and gas industry is that of project manager. A project manager is a professional who organizes, plans, and executes projects while working within constraints like budgets and schedules. Project managers lead entire teams, define project goals, communicate with stakeholders, and see a project through to its closure.
The project manager is tasked with ensuring that an entire project, from start to finish, is on track, on budget, according to specifications, and within safety guidelines. The PM also ensures that communication flows between groups.
Essentially, the PM is the glue that holds an entire operation together, and companies are willing to pay for the best. The average salary of a project manager in the USA ranges from $55,000 to $130,000 per year.
Drilling Supervisor
The drilling foreman or supervisor is in charge of the drilling or workover operations on a rig. The position is responsible for coordinating and prioritising the activities on a drill site. The position requires experience and is often held by someone who has worked their way up through the drilling crew.
They are in charge of carrying out inspections, assessing risks, and managing health and safety programs. Daily, they are tasked with assessing blueprints. The average salary of a drilling supervisor is $121,979 per year.
Petroleum Geologist
A petroleum geologist is an earth scientist who works in the field of petroleum geology, which involves all aspects of oil discovery and production. Petroleum geologists are usually linked to the actual discovery of oil and the identification of possible oil deposits, gas caps, or leads.
Petroleum geologists collect rock and sediment samples from sites through drilling and other methods and test the samples for the presence of oil and gas. They also estimate the size of oil and gas deposits and work to develop extraction sites. The salary for a petroleum geologist ranges from $100,254 to $123,458.
Petroleum Engineer
Petroleum engineers locate reservoirs of natural gas and crude oil beneath the Earth’s surface. They determine if the effort of extracting the product will be worth the time and money to do so. After a decision has been made to go ahead and drill, petroleum engineers find the most cost-efficient way of extracting the product.
Petroleum engineers help find oil and gas for the country’s energy needs. They design and develop methods for extracting oil and gas from deposits below the Earth’s surface. Petroleum engineers also find new ways to extract oil and gas from older wells. The salary of a petroleum engineer is $137,000 per year.
Chemical Engineer
A chemical engineer is a professional equipped with the knowledge of chemical engineering who works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment. Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, fuel, drugs, food, and many other products.
Engineers play a crucial role in finding innovative solutions to various challenges, such as developing sustainable processes, improving efficiency, and ensuring the safety and quality of products. Chemical engineers are involved in multiple stages of a process, from research and development to design, implementation, and operation.
They analyze raw materials, design equipment, and systems, and create detailed process flow diagrams. The median annual salary for production engineers is around $109,000.
Gas Plant Operator
A gas plant operator assists in the safe and efficient operation of the power plant and its supporting equipment and systems. Their job duties and responsibilities may include logging production reports, performing rounds to take meter or gauge readings, and monitoring alarms.
Most positions exist in the utility sector. Gas plant operators take care of the day-to-day operation of natural gas plants. They monitor all the units in the plant to ensure everything runs smoothly. The salary of a gas plant operator ranges from $44,490-$105,770.
Production Engineer
Definition: Production engineering defines and works out how the product will be manufactured and/or assembled on the production line. This includes the design of packaging, ensuring the right quantity of components and products are delivered, and aligning the production line to support the speed of the line.
Production engineers are responsible for supervising and improving production at plants and factories. They support engineering teams, draw up safety protocols, report issues to the manager, and develop strategies to improve efficiency and profit. Production engineers should also attend seminars and keep learning to ensure best practices. The annual salary of a production manager is $109,000.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers about the top 8 highest-paying oil and gas jobs in the USA.
What is the highest salary in oil and gas?
The average oil and gas construction salary ranges from approximately 3.3 lakhs per year for an HSE officer to 9.4 lakhs per year for a piping supervisor. Salary estimates are based on 309 Oil and Gas Construction salaries received from various employees of Oil and Gas Construction.
How much is the average salary in Nigeria in the oil and gas industry?
The estimated total pay for a driver at Oil and Natural Gas is NGN 180,000 per month. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and is based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated base pay is NGN 180,000 per month.
Which job makes the most money?
The highest-paying jobs in the U.S. are all in medicine, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chief executives and airline pilots are also among the highest-paid professions.
How much does an oil rig driller earn in the USA?
The average oil driller’s salary in the United States is $76,288 as of May 1, 2023, but the salary range typically falls between $70,391 and $83,797.
Who has the best oil in the world?
The best crude oil in the world is found in Malaysia.” Tapis, the Malaysian crude benchmark traded in Singapore, has for a long time held the title of the world’s most expensive grade.
