Best-Paying Jobs in Mining and Oil and Gas (May 2025 BLS Wage Data)
- The median wage across all jobs in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction was $64,060 in May 2025, above the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
- The sector employed about 570,220 wage and salary workers.
- Its best-paid large occupation was petroleum engineers, at a median of $166,450.
Pay depends on what you do and on who you do it for. This breakdown uses the BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025 (NAICS sector 21: Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction) to show which jobs pay best in mining and oil and gas, which jobs are open to people without a four-year degree, and what the most common jobs pay. Education levels come from BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Highest-paying jobs in the sector
Occupations with at least 5,000 jobs in the sector, ranked by median annual wage. The last column is the median for the same job across all industries (from the national cross-industry estimates).
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | All-industry median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Engineers | $166,450 | 9,180 | $144,910 |
| General and Operations Managers | $155,860 | 21,150 | $105,770 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $107,630 | 6,690 | $79,860 |
| Accountants and Auditors | $106,050 | 7,680 | $83,680 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $95,830 | 30,500 | $79,920 |
| Electricians | $80,650 | 6,840 | $63,190 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,650 | 5,590 | $74,500 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $72,740 | 10,300 | $65,510 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $71,490 | 11,530 | $67,890 |
| Wellhead Pumpers | $69,150 | 17,380 | $69,960 |
Best-paying jobs here without a bachelor’s degree
Occupations where BLS lists a high school diploma, certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as typical for entry:
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $107,630 | 6,690 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $95,830 | 30,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electricians | $80,650 | 6,840 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $74,650 | 5,590 | No formal educational credential |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | $72,740 | 10,300 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $71,490 | 11,530 | No formal educational credential |
| Wellhead Pumpers | $69,150 | 17,380 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $65,090 | 5,630 | High school diploma or equivalent |
The most common jobs in the sector
| Occupation | Median | Jobs | Share of sector jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $56,610 | 39,110 | 6.86% |
| Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | $47,340 | 38,870 | 6.82% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $57,130 | 31,590 | 5.54% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $95,830 | 30,500 | 5.35% |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $59,960 | 25,110 | 4.4% |
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | $57,700 | 21,620 | 3.79% |
| General and Operations Managers | $155,860 | 21,150 | 3.71% |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | $64,710 | 19,330 | 3.39% |
What this means for your pay
- Same job, different industry, different pay. Compare the sector median with the all-industry median for your job. If your sector pays below the national figure, the same skills may earn more elsewhere.
- Medians, not starting pay. Half of workers earn more than the median and half less; new hires usually start lower.
- Base wages only. OEWS excludes overtime, tips and most bonuses, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice.
Published October 28, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
For contrast, from the same survey: the lowest-paid occupation in this sector with at least 20,000 jobs was roustabouts, oil and gas, at a median of $47,340 ($22.76 an hour) across 38,870 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025.
— JobPayRaise Data Desk