What’s the State of Oil Hiring in the USA?

Has the first half of 2025 been good for oil hiring in the United States?

That’s the question Rigzone asked Brian Binke, the President and CEO of Michigan based the Birmingham Group, an affiliate of Sanford Rose Associates. Responding to the question, Binke told Rigzone that “it’s been slower than expected – especially upstream” but added that “there’s been steady movement tied to maintenance, optimization, and a few targeted build outs”.

When asked why this was the case, Binke said “operators are staying disciplined”.

“Rig counts are down, prices have been soft, and most companies are being selective with headcount. That said, hiring hasn’t disappeared – it’s just a lot more focused,” he added.

Looking ahead, Rigzone asked Binke if he expects the second half of this year to be good for oil hiring in the country.

“There’s potential for a stronger second half, especially if prices tick up or if gas stays active,” Binke told Rigzone, responding to the question.

“We’re not expecting a hiring boom, but things could trend up modestly,” he added.

When asked why, Binke told Rigzone, “the Trump administration has definitely been more supportive of domestic energy, which helps, but hiring takes more than policy – it depends on market confidence, project timelines, and margins”.

“If a few variables line up, we’ll see more demand in key roles before year-end,” he said.

Rigzone has asked the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for comment on Binke’s statements. At the time of writing, neither have responded to Rigzone.

According to Baker Hughes’ latest North America rotary rig count, which was released on July 11, the U.S. dropped two rigs week on week. The total U.S. rig count stands at 537, according to Baker Hughes’ rig count, which showed that the U.S. has cut 47 rigs compared to year ago levels.

The Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners Association’s (TIPRO) latest State of Energy report, which was released back in March, stated that the U.S. oil and gas industry employed 2,055,516 professionals in 2024.

That figure represented a net increase of 10,694 direct jobs compared to 2023, subject to revisions, the report noted. When incorporating direct, indirect, and induced multipliers for employment at the national level, the industry supported 22,625,187 million jobs last year, the report said. There were 384,187 direct U.S. upstream sector jobs in 2024, according to the report, which highlighted that this was a net increase of 1,259 jobs compared to 2023.

TIPRO’s report said that Texas led the nation in oil and gas jobs with 480,460 people employed in this industry. The report stated that 23 percent of all oil and gas jobs nationwide were located in Texas last year, and noted that, when incorporating direct, indirect, and induced multipliers for oil and gas employment, the industry supported a total of 2,773,201 jobs in Texas in 2024.

In a statement sent to Rigzone by the Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA) team on June 24, TXOGA said new data from the Texas Workforce Commission indicate that upstream oil and gas employment climbed by 2,200 in May compared to April, and by 7,300 jobs through the first five months of 2025. 

TXOGA added in that statement that, at 208,200 upstream jobs, compared to the same month in the prior year, May 2025 employment rose by 5,000.

The API states on its site that it represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry, adding that its nearly 600 members produce, process and distribute most of the nation’s energy.

TIPRO represents nearly 3,000 individuals and companies from the Texas oil and gas industry, TIPRO’s site notes. The group describes itself as one of the largest oil and gas trade associations in the United States. TXOGA describes itself on its site as a statewide trade association representing every facet of the Texas oil and gas industry including small independents and major producers. 

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com