Construction and Trades · Career brief

Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$58,620

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

1.6%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

900

Low national opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Bottom quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

No formal credential

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

No formal educational credential + related experience. Related work experience is typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with entry without a formal credential. Main tradeoff: BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.

Before choosing, compare:Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas with another field Explore rankings in Construction and Trades Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$58,620

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

1.6%employment growth900openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

No formal educational credential; Prior related experience: less than 5 years; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

10,700

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Derrick operators, oil and gas (47-5011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Inspect derricks, or order their inspection, prior to being raised or lowered.
Control the viscosity and weight of the drilling fluid.
Repair pumps, mud tanks, and related equipment.
Set and bolt crown blocks to posts at tops of derricks.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS lists less than 5 years of related experience. This is normally reached through feeder roles, not directly from school.
This is a small national occupation (10,700 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.
The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Controlling Machines and Processes4.5
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.2
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment4.2
Handling and Moving Objects4.0
Performing General Physical Activities3.9

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic7.0
Conventional3.6
Investigative2.5
Enterprising1.6
Social1.0
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Mechanical Mathematics Public Safety and Security Transportation

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Take a supervised shop, maker, or trade class and finish one project while following its measurement, cleanup, and safety rules.
Ask someone doing this job which feeder role built the required experience, what that earlier job paid, and how long the transition actually took.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Derrick operators, oil and gas nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Speaking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

Prior related experience: less than 5 years. Look for the preceding roles and promotion route before treating this as a first job.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options