Also called: Wellsite Supervisor, Drilling Consultant
The oil company's boss on the rig, making the decisions to keep a well on track, on budget, and safe.
You live at the rig for two weeks at a time, start each day reviewing the overnight drilling report, and make tough calls when something goes wrong a mile underground.
Often paid a high day rate as a contractor.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
High school diploma, about 0 years after high school. Usually 10+ years of rig experience; many started as roughnecks.
Ways in: On-the-job training, Certification. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Petroleum Technology.
Growing slowly. Oil and gas jobs swing up and down with oil prices; long-term outlook is flat to slightly growing.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. Automated rigs and remote drilling centers grow; someone still must make the safety calls on location.
Classes: Physics, Business CTE class, Leadership class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 47-5013.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.