Oil and Gas Workers
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Oil and Gas Workers in the United States earn a median salary of $58,160 per year — about $28 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 116K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +1%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of this occupation involves heavy physical labor, equipment maintenance, and manual operation in unpredictable outdoor environments, which provides a strong buffer against AI. However, the industry is increasingly adopting automated drilling technologies and remote monitoring systems that improve productivity, meaning fewer human workers may be required to achieve the same output.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-ILBEST VALUE | $91,890 | Below avg (95.0) | $96,754 |
| Anchorage, AK | $95,370 | Above avg (106.8) | $89,322 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $81,590 | Below avg (91.6) | $89,051 |
| Farmington, NM | $64,500 | Below avg (87.0) | $74,121 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $62,260 | Below avg (88.9) | $69,997 |
| Casper, WY | $64,680 | Below avg (92.5) | $69,896 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $61,570 | Below avg (89.0) | $69,216 |
| Tulsa, OK | $62,110 | Below avg (89.9) | $69,092 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $66,550 | Average (97.1) | $68,506 |
| Charleston, WV | $60,680 | Below avg (89.1) | $68,135 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $76,980 | Above avg (113.7) | $67,713 |
| Minot, ND | $59,400 | Below avg (88.7) | $66,979 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $60,070 | Below avg (90.8) | $66,164 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $60,260 | Below avg (91.4) | $65,898 |
| Williamsport, PA | $61,280 | Below avg (93.1) | $65,809 |