Roughneck demographics and statistics in the US
Roughneck demographics research summary. Zippia estimates roughneck demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our roughneck estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about roughnecks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 13,521 roughnecks currently employed in the United States.
- 3.2% of all roughnecks are women, while 96.8% are men.
- The average roughneck age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of roughnecks is White (63.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.2%), Black or African American (9.8%) and Unknown (4.2%).
- In 2022, women earned 93% of what men earned.
- 2% of all roughnecks are LGBT.
- Roughnecks are 68% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Roughneck demographics by:
Roughneck gender statistics
3.2% of roughnecks are women and 96.8% of roughnecks are men.
- Male, 96.8%
- Female, 3.2%
Roughneck gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 96.8% |
| Female | 3.2% |
Roughneck gender pay gap
Women earn 93¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,766
Female income
$38,034
Roughneck gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in roughneck positions over time. Currently, 3.2% of roughnecks are female.
Roughneck gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 98.13% | 1.87% |
| 2011 | 98.00% | 2.00% |
| 2012 | 97.89% | 2.11% |
| 2013 | 96.62% | 3.38% |
| 2014 | 96.88% | 3.12% |
| 2015 | 96.65% | 3.35% |
| 2016 | 97.56% | 2.44% |
| 2017 | 95.55% | 4.45% |
| 2018 | 97.16% | 2.84% |
| 2019 | 96.41% | 3.59% |
| 2020 | 97.26% | 2.74% |
| 2021 | 96.79% | 3.21% |
Roughneck related jobs gender ratio
We compared roughnecks 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% |
| Roughneck | 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%
Roughneck demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among roughnecks is White, which makes up 63.3% of all roughnecks. Comparatively, 19.2% of roughnecks are Hispanic or Latino and 9.8% of roughnecks are Black or African American.
- White, 63.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.2%
- Black or African American, 9.8%
- Unknown, 4.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%
- Asian, 1.2%
Roughneck race
| Roughneck race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 63.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.2% |
| Black or African American | 9.8% |
| Unknown | 4.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.3% |
| Asian | 1.2% |
Roughneck race and ethnicity over time
See how roughneck racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Roughneck race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.17% | 9.51% | 0.39% | 16.28% |
| 2011 | 69.81% | 7.86% | 0.55% | 17.65% |
| 2012 | 68.77% | 8.80% | 0.40% | 18.03% |
| 2013 | 66.98% | 8.54% | 0.52% | 19.12% |
| 2014 | 65.39% | 9.68% | 0.51% | 19.47% |
| 2015 | 68.06% | 8.79% | 0.37% | 19.40% |
| 2016 | 67.61% | 8.48% | 0.62% | 19.68% |
| 2017 | 66.40% | 8.73% | 0.31% | 19.47% |
| 2018 | 71.77% | 8.50% | 0.38% | 15.74% |
| 2019 | 66.71% | 8.24% | 0.67% | 20.99% |
| 2020 | 62.36% | 10.11% | 0.56% | 21.72% |
| 2021 | 63.30% | 9.81% | 1.22% | 19.22% |
Roughneck wage gap by race
According to our data, white roughnecks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian roughnecks have the lowest average salary at $38,496.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $41,386 |
| White | $43,313 |
| Black or African American | $39,426 |
| Asian | $38,496 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $41,381 |
Average roughneck age
See how the average age of roughnecks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Roughneck 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 |
Roughneck age breakdown
The average age of roughnecks is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the roughneck population.
Roughneck age breakdown
| Roughneck Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 30% |
| 20-30 years | 22% |
Roughneck educational attainment
The most common degree for roughnecks is high school diploma, with 52% of roughnecks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 11%.
- High School Diploma, 52%
- Bachelor's, 21%
- Associate, 11%
- Diploma, 11%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Roughnecks by degree level
| Roughneck degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 52% |
| Bachelor's | 21% |
| Associate | 11% |
| Diploma | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Roughneck jobs you might like
Roughneck wage gap by degree level
According to the data, roughnecks with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $41,346 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, roughnecks earn a median annual income of $40,244 compared to $37,324 for roughnecks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,324 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $40,244 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,346 |
Roughneck employment statistics
Most roughnecks work for a private in the energy industry.
Company size where roughnecks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where roughnecks work.
Roughneck jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 8% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 22% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Roughneck jobs by company type
Employees with the roughneck job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most roughnecks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Roughneck jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 26% |
| Private | 68% |
| Government | 5% |
Roughneck jobs by industry
The most common industries for roughnecks are energy, manufacturing and professional.
Roughneck industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Energy | 28% |
| Manufacturing | 13% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Transportation | 4% |
| Telecommunication | 4% |
| Government | 4% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Health Care | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Finance | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
Roughneck turnover and employment statistics
Roughneck unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for roughnecks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Roughneck unemployment rate by year
| Year | Roughneck 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 roughneck tenure
The average roughneck stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,351 roughnecks resumes in Zippia's database.
Roughneck tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 31% |
| 1-2 years | 40% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 9% |
| 8-10 years | 3% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Roughneck LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of roughnecks 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Roughneck | 2.29% | - |
| Hydraulic Operator | 2.32% | 26,263 |
| Blasting Production Technician | 2.64% | 76,063 |
| Face Worker | 4.26% | 21,384 |
Similar roughneck jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic Operator | 2.32% | 26,263 |
| Blasting Production Technician | 2.64% | 76,063 |
| Face Worker | 4.26% | 21,384 |
Foreign languages spoken by roughnecks
The most common foreign language among roughnecks is Spanish at 58.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.8% and Indonesian is the third-most popular at 5.9%.
- Spanish, 58.8%
- French, 11.8%
- Indonesian, 5.9%
- Turkish, 5.9%
- Carrier, 5.9%
- Other, 11.7%
Roughneck languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 58.8% |
| French | 11.8% |
| Indonesian | 5.9% |
| Turkish | 5.9% |
| Carrier | 5.9% |
| Other | 11.7% |
