Roustabouts (Oil and Gas) build judgment and decision making, operations monitoring and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Hoist and Winch Operators (88%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoist and Winch Operators | 88% | $56,450 | +20% | None |
| 2 | Riggers | 88% | $62,640 | +33% | None |
| 3 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 86% | $59,850 | +27% | None |
| 4 | Pile Driver Operators | 85% | $73,300 | +56% | None |
| 5 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 84% | $53,710 | +14% | None |
| 6 | Wellhead Pumpers | 80% | $69,960 | +49% | None |
| 7 | Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners | 80% | $49,880 | +6% | None |
| 8 | Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons | 80% | $61,290 | +31% | None |
| 9 | Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators | 80% | $70,070 | +49% | None |
| 10 | Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand | 80% | $42,660 | −9% | None |
Compared with Roustabouts, Oil and Gas, median $46,960. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as roustabouts (oil and gas) (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
88% skill match · $56,450 · +20% pay
Instructing · Persuasion · Complex Problem Solving
88% skill match · $62,640 · +33% pay
Operations Analysis · Installation · Equipment Selection
86% skill match · $59,850 · +27% pay
Operation and Control · Operations Analysis · Equipment Maintenance
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Hoist and Winch Operators (88% skill match, median $56,450), Riggers (88% skill match, median $62,640) and Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (86% skill match, median $59,850), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 18 pay more than roustabouts (oil and gas) at the median. The biggest increases: Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (+62%, $76,170), Pile Driver Operators (+56%, $73,300) and Wellhead Pumpers (+49%, $69,960).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.