Rig hand demographics and statistics in the US
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Rig hand demographics by:
Rig hand gender statistics
3.3% of rig hands are women and 96.7% of rig hands are men.
- Male, 96.7%
- Female, 3.3%
Rig hand gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 96.7% |
| Female | 3.3% |
Rig hand gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$35,070
Female income
$33,187
Rig hand gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in rig hand positions over time. Currently, 3.3% of rig hands are female.
Rig hand gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 98.06% | 1.94% |
| 2011 | 97.93% | 2.07% |
| 2012 | 97.82% | 2.18% |
| 2013 | 96.50% | 3.50% |
| 2014 | 96.77% | 3.23% |
| 2015 | 96.53% | 3.47% |
| 2016 | 97.47% | 2.53% |
| 2017 | 95.39% | 4.61% |
| 2018 | 97.06% | 2.94% |
| 2019 | 96.28% | 3.72% |
| 2020 | 97.16% | 2.84% |
| 2021 | 96.68% | 3.32% |
Rig hand related jobs gender ratio
We compared rig hands with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, relief driller and oil field roustabout have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Duck Bill Operator | 25% | 75% |
| Rig Hand | 97% | 3% |
| Lead Miner, Blasting | 98% | 2% |
| Oil Field Roustabout | 99% | 1% |
| Relief Driller | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Rig hand demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among rig hands is White, which makes up 65.1% of all rig hands. Comparatively, 20.0% of rig hands are Hispanic or Latino and 7.3% of rig hands are Black or African American.
- White, 65.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 20.0%
- Black or African American, 7.3%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
- Asian, 1.2%
Rig hand race
| Rig hand race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 20.0% |
| Black or African American | 7.3% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.2% |
| Asian | 1.2% |
Rig hand race and ethnicity over time
See how rig hand racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Rig hand race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.95% | 6.97% | 0.37% | 17.04% |
| 2011 | 71.59% | 5.32% | 0.53% | 18.41% |
| 2012 | 70.55% | 6.26% | 0.38% | 18.78% |
| 2013 | 68.76% | 6.00% | 0.51% | 19.87% |
| 2014 | 67.17% | 7.14% | 0.49% | 20.23% |
| 2015 | 69.84% | 6.25% | 0.35% | 20.16% |
| 2016 | 69.39% | 5.95% | 0.60% | 20.44% |
| 2017 | 68.18% | 6.19% | 0.30% | 20.22% |
| 2018 | 73.55% | 5.96% | 0.36% | 16.50% |
| 2019 | 68.49% | 5.70% | 0.65% | 21.74% |
| 2020 | 64.14% | 7.57% | 0.54% | 22.48% |
| 2021 | 65.08% | 7.28% | 1.20% | 19.97% |
Rig hand wage gap by race
According to our data, white rig hands have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian rig hands have the lowest average salary at $33,508.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $35,494 |
| White | $36,802 |
| Black or African American | $34,150 |
| Asian | $33,508 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $35,490 |
Average rig hand age
See how the average age of rig hands varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Rig hand age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| White | 40 | |
| Black or African American | 48 | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 32 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 |
Rig hand age breakdown
The average age of rig hands is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the rig hand population.
Rig hand age breakdown
| Rig Hand Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Rig hand educational attainment
The most common degree for rig hands is high school diploma, with 60% of rig hands earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 60%
- Associate, 12%
- Diploma, 12%
- Bachelor's, 10%
- Other Degrees, 6%
Rig hands by degree level
| Rig hand degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 60% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Bachelor's | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
Rig hand jobs you might like
Rig hand wage gap by degree level
According to the data, rig hands with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $35,466 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, rig hands earn a median annual income of $34,713 compared to $32,693 for rig hands with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,693 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,713 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $35,466 |
Rig hand employment statistics
Most rig hands work for a private in the energy industry.
Company size where rig hands work
Below, you can see the size of companies where rig hands work.
Rig hand jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 21% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 24% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 12% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
Rig hand jobs by company type
Employees with the rig hand job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most rig hands prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Rig hand jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 2% |
| Public | 24% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 3% |
Rig hand jobs by industry
The most common industries for rig hands are energy, manufacturing and professional.
Rig hand industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Energy | 26% |
| Manufacturing | 9% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Construction | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Utilities | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Insurance | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Non Profits | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Rig hand turnover and employment statistics
Rig hand unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for rig hands between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Rig hand unemployment rate by year
| Year | Rig hand unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 12.16% |
| 2011 | 8.43% |
| 2012 | 7.78% |
| 2013 | 8.04% |
| 2014 | 6.09% |
| 2015 | 11.90% |
| 2016 | 13.78% |
| 2017 | 6.52% |
| 2018 | 4.80% |
| 2019 | 4.61% |
| 2020 | 12.55% |
| 2021 | 11.41% |
Average rig hand tenure
The average rig hand stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,051 rig hands resumes in Zippia's database.
Rig hand tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 38% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Rig hand LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of rig hands that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Rig Hand | 2.29% | - |
| Excavating Machine Operator | 2.32% | 53,738 |
| Deep Well Contractor | 2.64% | 11,536 |
| Self-Propelled Mining Machine Operator | 4.26% | 55,429 |
Similar rig hand jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Excavating Machine Operator | 2.32% | 53,738 |
| Deep Well Contractor | 2.64% | 11,536 |
| Self-Propelled Mining Machine Operator | 4.26% | 55,429 |
Foreign languages spoken by rig hands
The most common foreign language among rig hands is Spanish at 76.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 11.8% and Dakota is the third-most popular at 5.9%.
- Spanish, 76.5%
- Carrier, 11.8%
- Dakota, 5.9%
- French, 5.9%
Rig hand languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 76.5% |
| Carrier | 11.8% |
| Dakota | 5.9% |
| French | 5.9% |
