How to become a Roustabouts, Oil and Gas
Also called: Field Service Roustabout, Floor Hand, Oil and Gas Roustabout, Oil Field Roustabout, Production Roustabout, Rig Hand, Roustabout, Roustabout Crew Pusher, Roustabout Hand, Roustabout Pusher
Assemble or repair oil field equipment using hand and power tools. Perform other tasks as needed.
Main tasks
- Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.
- Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.
- Guide cranes to move loads about decks.
- Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.
- Lay gas and oil pipelines.
- Bolt together pump and engine parts.
- Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand.
- Clean trucks used in the fields.
How to become one
Although formal education is not typically required to become an oil or gas worker, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Oil and gas workers learn on the job.
Typical education to start: No formal educational credential
Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Pay · Outlook · AI and this job
- Median pay: $46,960 a year The middle half earn $38,850 to $58,120.
- About 45,500 people work in this job now, and about 47,100 are projected by 2035. (+3.6%)
- People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
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Questions people ask
How do I become a Roustabouts, Oil and Gas?
Although formal education is not typically required to become an oil or gas worker, some employers require or prefer that candidates have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Oil and gas workers learn on the job.
How much does a Roustabouts, Oil and Gas earn in the US?
Median full-time pay is $46,960 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $38,850 to $58,120.
Is a Roustabouts, Oil and Gas a growing career in the US?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 45,500 to about 47,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Do you need a degree to become a Roustabouts, Oil and Gas?
Usually not. Only 13% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Will AI change the work of a Roustabouts, Oil and Gas?
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.
Sources
- Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.