Career comparison
Petroleum Engineer vs. Roustabout
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Petroleum engineers earn more at the median ($144,910 vs. $46,960), while roustabouts usually get to work faster (1–3 months of training). Petroleum engineers design ways to extract oil and gas safely and efficiently. Roustabouts build, maintain and repair oil and gas sites and equipment.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Petroleum Engineer | Roustabout | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $144,910 ($69.67/hr) | $46,960 ($22.58/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $81,440 – $253,200 | $36,420 – $64,530 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.0% (slower than average) | +3.6% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 1,000 | 4,100 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | No formal educational credential |
| Training time | 4-year engineering degree | 1–3 months |
| Key credential | PE license | SafeLand USA |
| Work setting | Petroleum engineers work in offices and at rigs and field sites.. | Roustabouts work outdoors at well sites, tank batteries and yards, often in remote areas and harsh weather.. |
What each job does
Petroleum Engineer
- Plan wells
- Design drilling programs
- Design completions
- Model reservoirs
- Improve production
Roustabout
- Assemble and repair oilfield equipment
- Lay and repair pipelines
- Dig and backfill trenches
- Clean tanks and equipment
- Load and unload materials
How they’re similar
They draw on different strengths, which makes the choice clearer. Both are part of the energy & utilities field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose petroleum engineer if…
- I like math and geology
- I want very high pay
- I can handle cycles
Choose roustabout if…
- I want to start without experience
- I don’t mind hard physical work
- I like working outdoors
Still torn? Take the Petroleum Engineer fit quiz and the Roustabout fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, petroleum engineer or roustabout?
Petroleum Engineers earn more at the median: $144,910 versus $46,960 for roustabouts, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Roustabouts typically train faster (1–3 months) than petroleum engineers (4-year engineering degree).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects roustabouts to grow +3.6% from 2025–35, compared with +2.0% for petroleum engineers.