| Oil drilling rig jobs are not for the weak or faint at | | | | construction yard. On land, only managers, |
| heart. These are jobs that can only be done by | | | | salesmen, sports stars and movie stars can |
| those with strength and courage. Work on | | | | expect to earn as much. Of course, this is only |
| offshore oil rigs is difficult with long hours, made | | | | comparing the salaries of normal human beings, |
| dangerous by treacherous weather. Sometimes | | | | not the superstars like Tiger Woods or Tom |
| work has to be done in freezing cold rain, | | | | Cruise. |
| sometimes in the hot sun and humid windless | | | | All this money is being paid for you to do good, |
| heat. But if this was all that an oil rig worker had | | | | honest, hard work. This is money you earn that |
| to look forward to, no one would do the job. But | | | | won't give you sleepless nights. Unlike politicians |
| the oil industry is one of the few sectors which | | | | and Wall Street bankers, you can face yourself in |
| actually pay their front line workers well. They | | | | the mirror every morning when you shave |
| make a lot of money, and almost never have | | | | without having to feel any guilt. The salary for oil |
| enough workers. | | | | drilling rig jobs certainly beats flipping burgers at |
| That's why offshore drilling companies are willing | | | | McDonald's or Wendy's, doesn't it? |
| to pay $45,000 a year for entry level | | | | Obviously, to actually earn this kind of money, |
| roustabouts. But this is not the only highly paid oil | | | | you need to go where there is work. For |
| drilling rig job. Even the steward who does the | | | | example, if you had stuck around South Texas in |
| housekeeping on board the oil platform receives | | | | early 2009, you would probably be one of the |
| very nearly the same salary. The cooks who | | | | many oil rig workers who were laid off. But if you |
| keep the rig workers fed can receive up to | | | | had moved to East Texas, where there were |
| $55,000, comparable to a high-ranking chef in a | | | | companies hiring for oil drilling rig jobs, you would |
| restaurant. In fact, anyone who has specialized | | | | not have any problems finding work. And if you |
| skills, like a mechanic, electrician, welder, or | | | | are willing to work offshore, companies like |
| scaffolder can expect to earn at least $55,000 a | | | | Transocean and Noble Corporation are hiring |
| year even without prior offshore experience. And | | | | thousands of workers to crew their new offshore |
| if you have the right type of post-graduate | | | | oil rigs. |
| Geology degree, you are looking at a minimum of | | | | Simply put, if you have the strength and the |
| $80,000, not counting your sign-up bonuses. | | | | courage, if you have the ability and willingness to |
| If you stick around long enough, maybe work | | | | work hard in difficult and dangerous situations and |
| hard for 10 to 20 years and find a unionized job, | | | | want to get paid well for these qualities, then oil |
| you have every chance of adding at least | | | | drilling rig jobs are for you. Move to where the |
| $10,000 to your starting salary. A 20-year | | | | newer oil fields are located and you will have a |
| veteran roustabout can easily ask for $55,000, | | | | better chance of getting hired. |
| earning $20,000 more than his counterpart in a | | | | |