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What is a roughneck and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
ScoreRoughneckUS Average
Salary
3.0

Avg. Salary $38,993

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity
7.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.25%

Asian 1.22%

Black or African American 9.81%

Hispanic or Latino 19.22%

Unknown 4.20%

White 63.30%

Gender

female 3.21%

male 96.79%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
1.8

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

Roughneck career paths

Key steps to become a roughneck

  1. Explore roughneck education requirements

    Most common roughneck degrees

    High School Diploma

    52.1 %

    Bachelor's

    20.6 %

    Associate

    10.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific roughneck skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Safety Equipment18.11%
    Flow Lines15.72%
    Tongs11.92%
    General Maintenance4.49%
    Preventative Maintenance3.56%
  3. Research roughneck duties and responsibilities

    • Fill out the Iadc logs daily, lead the crew during safety meetings and orientations.
    • Perform general maintenance on rig components, and conduct assigned activities on the rig floor.
    • Have to wear proper PPE at all times.
    • Operate forklift, manlift, and overhead hoists.
  4. Prepare your roughneck resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your roughneck resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a roughneck resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable roughneck resume templates

    Build a professional roughneck resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your roughneck resume.
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
    Roughneck Resume
  5. Apply for roughneck jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a roughneck job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first roughneck job

Zippi

Are you a roughneck?

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Average roughneck salary

The average roughneck salary in the United States is $38,993 per year or $19 per hour. Roughneck salaries range between $29,000 and $52,000 per year.

Average roughneck salary
$38,993 Yearly
$18.75 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do roughnecks rate their job?

-/5

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Roughneck reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

All the Time the worker are on movement with a high responsability, always pending atention according situations.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros

working outside and not in an office

Cons

the hours I have to spend away from my Family.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2019
Pros

Working at height tripping of pipes check OMG of fluid level.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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