5 Highest-Paying Jobs without Degrees {Oil/Gas Industry}

Rig Zone ^ | December 28, 2011 | Rigzone Staff

[thackney]

An industry comprised of workers from all walks of life, O&G personnel vary in skills, experience and pay.

#5 Electrician

Job Description: Specializing in installation, maintenance, and design of electrical systems (in infrastructure, machinery, and related equipment). Category: Trades

Average Annual Salary: $87,374, up 9.6% from 2010 | Standard Range: $50,648 to $133,356

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#4 Snubbing

Job Description: Performing a risky form of well-intervention, which is used only when lighter intervention techniques do not work . Category: Oilfield Service

Average Annual Salary: $121,702, up 8.4% from 2010 | Standard Range: $77,424 to $165,979

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#3 Captain

Job Description: Commanding the vessel and being responsible for the overall option, management and safety of the unit offshore. Category: Maritime

Average Annual Salary: $122,586, up 6% from 2010 | Standard Range: $77,514 to $167,657

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#2 Workover or Completion

Job Description: Operating equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Category: Production

Average Annual Salary: $133,383, up 11.9% from 2010 | Standard Range: $61,814 to $204,953

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#1 Drilling Consultant

Job Description: Responsible for day-to-day rig operations, including relaying orders from his supervisor in town to the contract tool pusher on-site. Category: Drilling

Average Annual Salary: $224,014, up 9% from 2010 | Standard Range: $143,397 to $304,632

[thackney]

Obviously not positions for entry level with no oil/gas experience (except perhaps for an different industry experienced electrician or ship captain)

I believe the top range of the salaries includes significant overtime.

But it does show the potential for those without degrees, willing to work and hang tough for the down times, and work hard when needed. Almost certainly rising up in the industry is going to require some travel to get there.

[ops33]

I always thought that one of the highest paying job that did not require a college degree was air traffic controller.

[rfreedom4u]

My son-in-law got out of the army in July. He has no college and was a fuel handler. He now works as a pipeline controller making around $80,000 a year.

[thackney]

Top 5 Paying O&G Jobs with Degrees

http://rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=113149

#5 Safety Officer

Job Description: Developing, implement and oversee safety policies, procedures and programs, including routine audits.
Category: Health, Safety, Environment (HSE)

Average Annual Salary: $79,111, up 10.7% from 2010 | Standard Range: $43,773 to $114,453

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#4 Naval Architect

Job Description: Designing ships for shipbuilding companies or design and research firms.
Category: Maritime

Average Annual Salary: $99,151, up 6.2% from 2010 | Standard Range: $53,593 to $144,708

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#3 Petrophysicist

Job Description: Analyzing reservoirs and helping engineers determine the best areas and procedures for drilling and excavation.
Category: Geoscience

Average Annual Salary: $126,847, up 8.6% from 2010 | Standard Range: 62,933 to $190,761

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#2 Geoscientist

Job Description: Studying the composition, structure, and other physical aspects of the Earth for petroleum.
Category: Geoscience

Average Annual Salary: $123, 143, up 10.5% from 2010 | Standard Range: $57, 470 to $188,817

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#1 Subsea Engineer

Job Description: Designing, building and installing mechanical systems under the ocean.
Category: Engineering

Average Annual Salary: $139, 511, up 7.3% from 2010 | Standard Range: 82,165 to $196,856

[thackney]

This article is specific to the oil/gas industry in the upstream market.

[driftdiver]

They forgot stripper in the nearby bars, $2,000 on a good day.

[thackney]

Careers in supporting industries, such the one you listed and the one I work in (consulting engineering) were not included.

They certainly seem to be necessary for the oil and gas to flow, but was not included in this study.

[Le Chien Rouge]

Other jobs that earn well without having a college degree:

1) community organizer
2) pimping
3) drug dealer
4) prostitute
5) actor/actress
6) rock star
7) professional grifter
8) gambler
9) milking the welfare system
10) marrying into money

[afraidfortherepublic]

All of these jobs require a higher than average work ethic.

Overtime? Maybe, but not always paid overtime.

Willingness to work until the job is done? Certainly.

Willingness to go where the job is located, regardless of family schedule? Absolutely.

Bonuses to make up for upaid overtime? Yes.

My husband (a degreed, professional engineer with several patents to his name) has been involved in all of these jobs. It prepared him for owning his own business where the rewards are not so great, but the time committment is even more demanding.

Obama is a fool for turning down the opportunity for Americans to seek these jobs.

[Smokin' Joe]

I believe the top range of the salaries includes significant overtime.

Most oilfield workweeks range from 60 to 84 hour weeks (some even more hours).

For Drilling Consultants, they are on location 24/7 for their 'hitch', for some rigs there are two working 12 hours on, 12 hours off (84 hrs/wk), on other rigs, they are on call 24 hrs and work shifts of up to 14 days on/off (a few work the whole well, straight through).

[ops33]

Yep, you’re right, my mistake.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

LOL.

Also add running Microsoft, Virgin Airlines and Dell Computers.

And jobs where a degree is a sign that you are too smart include being a TV anchor or a regular on The View.

[thackney]

When I worked overseas construction for oil fields, it 7/12s for 8 weeks then we got 2 weeks off (with pay).

The Alaskan North Slope operating and maintenance positions are similar to O&M in the offshore or other remote land positions. But most every job like this has nothing to do but eat and sleep (and possibly drink). The rec-rooms have gotten nicer over the decades but still rather limited by general public standards. They work 7/12s but are off half the time; 2/3/4/5 weeks on then the same time off. Greater times for start-up or turn-arounds.

It is not for everyone, but it can be rewarding. What I have found at nearly all these place was consistently good food. That was a bit of a stretch living in Yemen; first and last time I ate spam as a pizza topping.

[woodbutcher1963]

My buddies son got out of the Air Force about three years ago. He was an air traffic controller over in Bagdad for a year. He now works at Miami International. He had a choice of 3 or 4 airports to work at. His starting pay was $75k.

My electrian was a air traffic controller at their main Northeast tracking facility here in Nashua,NH. He got fired by Reagan and had to find a new career. He never forgave Ronnie for that. It is one of those subjects we do not discuss.

[Repeal The 17th]

Thack,
Do you know what kind of jobs are the “entry level” jobs?
What kind of work does a novice do to start out with
in order to work their way up into those higher paying slots?
Thanks.

[RaceBannon]

NDI and NDT testing gets at least $30/hr, too

Sheet Metal mechanics in aviation who have over 10 years experience can get as much as $45/hr at Boeing and other locations

[thackney]

Are you asking about a young worker with a strong back and little experience in any job market?

Or a more experienced worker outside of the oil/gas industry? If so, what existing skill sets and do they have time/money for a bit of training before pursuing work?

[thackney]

The son of friends of ours recently completed about a year of NDI and NDT training. He had his pick of jobs with little history besides fast food. But travel/relocation was required to make decent starting money.

[Vendome]

I never got paid for snubbing but it always paid off...

[thackney]

For the curious:

snubbing

The act of putting drillpipe into the wellbore when the blowout preventers (BOPs) are closed and pressure is contained in the well.

Snubbing is necessary when a kick is taken, since well kill operations should always be conducted with the drillstring on bottom, and not somewhere up the wellbore. If only the annular BOP has been closed, the drillpipe may be slowly and carefully lowered into the wellbore, and the BOP itself will open slightly to permit the larger diameter tool joints to pass through.

If the well has been closed with the use of ram BOPs, the tool joints will not pass by the closed ram element. Hence, while keeping the well closed with either another ram BOP or the annular BOP, the ram must be opened manually, then the pipe lowered until the tool joint is just below the ram, and then closing the ram again. This procedure is repeated whenever a tool joint must pass by a ram BOP.

In snubbing operations, the pressure in the wellbore acting on the cross-sectional area of the tubular can exert sufficient force to overcome the weight of the drillstring, so the string must be pushed (or “snubbed”) back into the wellbore.

In ordinary stripping operations, the pipe falls into the wellbore under its own weight, and no additional downward force or pushing is required.

http://www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com/Display.cfm?Term=snubbing

It doesn't always end well.