Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Median salary

$58,620

Average salary

$60,210

Employment

10,590

Projected growth

0.5% growth

Annual openings

1,000

Typical entry education

No formal educational credential

What Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas Do

Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years
On-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 1.4%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Mechanicalimportance 3.6/5
Mathematicsimportance 3.3/5
English Languageimportance 3.2/5
Education and Trainingimportance 3.0/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.8/5
Transportationimportance 2.8/5
Administration and Managementimportance 2.7/5
Building and Constructionimportance 2.5/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions5.0/5
Exposed to Contaminants5.0/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.9/5
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment4.8/5
Health and Safety of Other Workers4.8/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Roustabouts, Oil and Gas96% skill match
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders95% skill match
Logging Equipment Operators95% skill match
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators95% skill match
Dredge Operators95% skill match
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders95% skill match
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders95% skill match
Agricultural Equipment Operators95% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.9/5
Repairingimportance 3.4/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.3/5
Troubleshootingimportance 3.3/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.3/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.1/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Cautiousness
Dependability
Attention to Detail
Stress Tolerance
Perseverance
Integrity
Self-Control

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
EnterprisingLow
SocialLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where derrick operators, oil and gas make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).