Also called: Well Planning Engineer
Designs how a well will be drilled, sometimes miles down and then sideways, and keeps the drilling safe.
You plan a well that goes two miles down and two miles sideways to hit a layer of rock only 20 feet thick. When the rig hits trouble at 3 a.m., your phone rings and you help the crew decide what to do.
Offshore and international jobs often pay more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in petroleum or mechanical engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.
Growing slowly (about 1% over 10 years).
Medium risk for 10 years. AI and automated rigs plan and run more of the drilling; well design, rig-site problems and safety calls stay human.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Earth science, Shop class.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-2171.
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.