What do they do?

Rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through drill hole.

Also known as:

Derrick Hand, Derrick Man, Derrick Operator, Derrick Worker, Driller, Floor Hand

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas is projected to show little or no change from 2022 to 2032.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 0%

    Change

    Ranks #14 in job growth rate
    0

    Job Openings

    Ranks #18 in net job growth

Colleges with the most graduates that become Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (44%)
  • Some college, no degree  (23%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (21%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (6%)
  • Associate's degree  (4%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Select Type of Degree:

★ There are no majors that have graduates with this degree type

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Repairing - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
  • Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium - The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation.
  • Clean equipment or facilities.
  • Maintain drilling equipment.
  • Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.
  • Assemble temporary equipment or structures.
  • Monitor extraction operations.
  • Operate pumps or compressors.
  • Position construction or extraction equipment.
  • Train construction or extraction personnel.
  • Direct construction or extraction personnel.
  • Install drilling equipment.
  • Prepare operational reports.
  • Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
  • Measure materials or objects for installation or assembly.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.

College Raptor Loading Screen College Raptor Loading Screen