Roughneck
Impact: Direct
Roughnecks perform physically demanding tasks on oil and gas drilling rigs, assisting in the drilling process by handling, operating, and maintaining drilling equipment and machinery. They work as part of a drilling crew, often in challenging and hazardous environments, ensuring the smooth and safe operation of the rig.
What the day looks like
- People interaction
- Moderate
- Team vs solo
- Team-based
- Client facing
- Never
- Impact visibility
- Low
- Travel
- High
- Schedule flexibility
- Rigid
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 12-hour shifts, often 7 days on/7 days off or 14 days on/14 days off
- Stress level
- High
At a glance
- Median salary
- $65,000
- Entry-level
- $45,000
- Senior
- $90,000
- Growth by 2033
- Average
- Demand
- Stable
- Freelance potential
- Low
- Salary growth potential
- High
- Typical student debt
- Low
Skills you'll use
Hard skills
- Equipment Operation
- Safety Procedures
- Mechanical Aptitude
- Heavy Lifting
- Drilling Techniques
Soft skills
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Adaptability
- Safety Consciousness
Technical complexity: High
How to get there
- Minimum education
- High School Diploma or GED; vocational training or on-the-job experience often preferred
- Licensing
- No
- Years to mid-career
- 5
- Years to senior
- 10
- Career switching
- Hard
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
Where you can go from here
Typical progression
- Driller, Toolpusher, Rig Manager
Future outlook
- Automation probability
- Moderate
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Stable
How people feel about it
- Overall satisfaction
- 3.5/10
- Meaning
- 3.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 3/10
- Prestige
- 3.5/10
- Social perception
- Moderate