Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas
US occupation · SOC 47-5011
Job titles people report: Derrick Hand, Derrick Man, Derrick Operator, Derrick Worker, Derrickhand, Derrickman, Floor Hand, Rig Hand, Roughneck
Pay and outlook
- Median annual wage, May 2025
- $58,620
- Half earn more, half earn less
- Middle half earn
- $49,880 – $71,610
- 25th to 75th percentile
- People employed, May 2025
- 10,590
- Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
- Projected change, 2025–35
- +1.6%
- Growing slower than all jobs (0% to under 3.5%)
- Openings a year (projected)
- 900
- New jobs plus replacing people who leave
- Typical education to enter
- No formal educational credential
- BLS
- All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
- Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
- Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.
What the work involves
Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.
Main tasks
- Start pumps that circulate mud through drill pipes and boreholes to cool drill bits and flush out drill cuttings.
- Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.
- Listen to mud pumps and check regularly for vibration and other problems to ensure that rig pumps and drilling mud systems are working properly.
- Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.
- Prepare mud reports, and instruct crews about the handling of any chemical additives.
- Position and align derrick elements, using harnesses and platform climbing devices.
- Inspect derricks for flaws, and clean and oil derricks to maintain proper working conditions.
- Supervise crew members, and provide assistance in training them.
Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.
Getting in
- Typical education to enter (BLS)
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience in a related job: less than 5 years
- Training once hired: short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone 1–2
- Little to some preparation
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Interests it suits
The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.
- Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
- Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
- Investigative: research, analysis and solving problems with ideas
Fields of study that lead here
From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 1 programme to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.
Fields
Our college matcher doesn't offer this field as a major, so we can't suggest colleges for it here.
Construction Trades
- Well Drilling/Driller
Related careers
Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
$67,890 median · +0.8% projected
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
$60,190 median · +3.6% projected
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
$58,160 median · +1.1% projected
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
$59,850 median · +4.6% projected
- Hoist and Winch Operators
$56,450 median · +0.2% projected
- Pile Driver Operators
$73,300 median · -5.7% projected
Sources
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. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0
Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk