Energy Industry Pay: Engineers, Operators and Field Trades (US Data)
US wage data for petroleum and nuclear engineers, geoscientists, plant operators, line workers and renewable-energy technicians, with notes on rotations, overtime and cyclicality.
Published by SalaryBases. Drafted with AI assistance and revised to remove or reword figures we could not trace to a source. Not reviewed by a licensed professional. Pay figures come only from the official datasets named beside each table and apply only to the country, year and definition stated there. Methodology
Energy employs engineers, scientists, plant operators and field trades across oil and gas, power generation, utilities and renewables. This guide uses official US data for representative occupations and explains what changes real earnings in energy work.
What US government data shows
| Occupation (SOC) | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Engineers (17-2171) | $81,440 | $144,910 | $253,200 |
| Nuclear Engineers (17-2161) | $92,960 | $133,970 | $196,290 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers (19-2042) | $59,330 | $101,920 | $200,230 |
| Power Plant Operators (51-8013) | $61,790 | $102,040 | $131,940 |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers (49-9051) | $51,470 | $95,320 | $128,690 |
| Electricians (47-2111) | $42,640 | $63,190 | $108,510 |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (47-5013) | $38,940 | $58,160 | $97,560 |
| Wind Turbine Service Technicians (49-9081) | $49,230 | $64,120 | $92,460 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers (47-2231) | $41,600 | $53,140 | $79,970 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Scope: United States, national estimates, all industries, annual wages in US dollars (retrieved 9 October 2026). The median is the middle wage: half of the workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less; 10th/90th percentile mean 10% earn less/more. The survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and excludes the self-employed, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, equity and employer benefit costs. BLS methodology.
Petroleum engineers have a median of $144,910, nuclear engineers $133,970 and geoscientists $101,920. Among operators and trades, power plant operators have a median of $102,040, electrical power-line installers and repairers $95,320 and electricians $63,190. Service unit operators in oil and gas have a median of $58,160. Wind turbine service technicians have a median of $64,120 and solar photovoltaic installers $53,140.
A caution on comparing rows: the renewable-energy rows here are technician and installer jobs, while the highest rows are engineering jobs. The table therefore shows the difference between occupations, not a comparison of "oil and gas pay" with "renewable energy pay". Engineers and other professionals work in both parts of the sector.
What the data leaves out
- Overtime and premium pay are excluded or only partly captured, and field work often includes both. The survey counts guaranteed hazardous-duty pay but excludes overtime.
- Rotation schedules, per diems and housing are common in remote and offshore work and are not in the wage figures.
- Cyclicality: employment in oil and gas follows commodity prices, so pay in a good year may not reflect job security.
- Regulated utilities set pay within a different business model than commodity producers; compare benefits and pensions as well as wages.
Routes into the sector
Many field and plant roles have formal apprenticeships or licensing, including electricians and line workers. Engineering and geoscience roles generally require a relevant degree. Check the specific employer, union or training body for requirements, and ask which certifications the employer actually pays for.
Location
Energy jobs cluster where resources, plants and grid infrastructure are located, so pay and demand differ by state and region. BLS publishes state and metropolitan tables for the same occupations if you want local figures.
Putting this to use
For rotation-based work, compare the weekly or annual total including per diems and overtime rather than the base rate. The Overtime Calculator and Job Offer Comparator help with that, and the Cost of Living Comparison shows what a posting in another region would mean for your budget.
Key takeaways
- Representative US medians range from $53,140 (solar photovoltaic installers) to $144,910 (petroleum engineers), reflecting different kinds of jobs.
- Do not read the table as "oil pay versus renewables pay": it mixes engineers and technicians.
- Overtime, rotations and per diems can change real earnings and are not in the wage figures.
Sources used in this guide
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025: methodology and tables — Every wage figure in the tables above (each row links to its own BLS occupation profile).