Rig superintendent vs private contractor

The differences between rig superintendents and private contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a rig superintendent and a private contractor. Additionally, a rig superintendent has an average salary of $126,454, which is higher than the $45,674 average annual salary of a private contractor.

The top three skills for a rig superintendent include cranes, equipment operators and structural steel. The most important skills for a private contractor are windows, snow removal, and RAN.

Rig superintendent vs private contractor overview

	Rig Superintendent	Private Contractor
Yearly salary	$126,454	$45,674
Hourly rate	$60.80	$21.96
Growth rate	-	8%
Number of jobs	11,326	13,902
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	-	-

Rig superintendent vs private contractor salary

Rig superintendents and private contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rig Superintendent	Private Contractor
Average salary	$126,454	$45,674
Salary range	Between $67,000 And $237,000	Between $27,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between rig superintendent and private contractor education

There are a few differences between a rig superintendent and a private contractor in terms of educational background:

	Rig Superintendent	Private Contractor
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Management	Business
Most common college	-	-

Rig superintendent vs private contractor demographics

Here are the differences between rig superintendents' and private contractors' demographics:

	Rig Superintendent	Private Contractor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1%	Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 1.5% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 1.5% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between rig superintendent and private contractor duties and responsibilities

Rig superintendent example responsibilities.

Manage the daily IADC drilling report and ensure the morning drilling report is correct.
Record daily drilling activities accurately in IADC reports while keeping accurate component tally.
BOP equipment in accordance with the requirements specify in the operating procedures.

Private contractor example responsibilities.

Enter and manage data for timberline for JC/AP/AR for multiple companies.
Manage, oversee and troubleshoot production schedules, critical orders and product development.
Utilize QuickBooks to manage company finances, including project invoices, material purchases, and accounts receivable.
Manage and decide all remodel activities.
Prepare and submit EHR data require for third party, Medicare, and Medicaid compliance audits.
Apply coats of paint, varnish, stain, enamel and lacquer to decorate and protect interior and exterior surfaces.

Rig superintendent vs private contractor skills

Common rig superintendent skills

Cranes, 34%
Equipment Operators, 19%
Structural Steel, 14%
Competent Person, 7%
Ironworker, 6%
Helicopter, 5%

Common private contractor skills

Windows, 36%
Snow Removal, 16%
RAN, 8%
Manual Labor, 6%
Troubleshoot, 6%
HVAC, 6%

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Construction and Extraction Industry
Rig Superintendent
Rig Superintendent vs Private Contractor

Updated January 8, 2025

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