USA Oil, Gas Workforce Rises from April to May
The number of employees in the oil and gas extraction industry increased slightly from April to May, data on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) website showed.
According to preliminary figures included in the data page, the number of employees in the sector stood at 115,500 in April 2026 and 115,600 in May 2026.
Despite representing a month on month uptick, May’s figure of 115,600 was the second lowest May figure in the BLS data, which spanned from January 2016 to May 2026. The lowest May figure in the data was seen in May 2021, at 112,700. The highest May figure was seen in May 2016, at 174,700.
The number of employees in the oil and gas extraction industry came in at 144,200 in May 2017, 143,300 in May 2018, 144,700 in May 2019, 129,600 in May 2020, 119,800 in May 2022, 117,700 in May 2023, 121,600 in May 2024, and 118,600 in May 2025, according to the BLS data page.
The data page showed that the number of employees in the sector stood at 115,500 in January 2026, 116,200 in February 2026, and 115,900 in March 2026. Previous BLS data had the number of employees in the sector at 115,200 in April 2026.
According to the data page, the highest figure was seen in January 2016, at 187,300. The lowest figure in the data, 110,900, was seen in November 2021 and January 2022.
Last year, the number of employees in the oil and gas extraction industry dropped from 118,600 in May to 117,800 in June, then 117,200 in July, 115,900 in August and September, and 115,700 in October, the data highlighted. This figure then rose to 116,500 in November and stayed flat in December, the data showed.
The BLS data is taken from the national Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey, the data page outlined. The CES program produces detailed industry estimates of nonfarm employment, hours, and earnings of workers on payrolls, the BLS site states, adding that CES National Estimates produces data for the nation and CES State and Metro Area produces estimates for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and about 450 metropolitan areas and divisions.
Each month, CES surveys approximately 119,000 businesses and government agencies, representing approximately 622,000 individual worksites, the BLS site notes.
The oil and gas extraction subsector is part of the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector, the BLS site states. The site highlights that, according to the North American Industry Classification System, “industries in the Oil and Gas Extraction subsector operate and/or develop oil and gas field properties”.
“Such activities may include exploration for crude petroleum and natural gas; drilling, completing, and equipping wells; operating separators, emulsion breakers, desilting equipment, and field gathering lines for crude petroleum and natural gas; and all other activities in the preparation of oil and gas up to the point of shipment from the producing property,” the site adds.
“This subsector includes the production of crude petroleum, the mining and extraction of oil from oil shale and oil sands, and the production of natural gas, sulfur recovery from natural gas, and recovery of hydrocarbon liquids,” it continues.
The BLS describes itself on its website as an agency of the United States Department of Labor.
“It is the principal fact-finding agency in the broad field of labor economics and statistics and serves as part of the U.S. Federal Statistical System,” the site notes.
“BLS collects, calculates, analyzes, and publishes data essential to the public, employers, researchers, and government organizations,” it adds.
According to the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association’s (TIPRO) latest state of energy report, which was released in March this year, the U.S. oil and gas industry employed 2,043,859 professionals in 2025.
This represented a net decline of 8,368 direct jobs compared to 2024, “subject to revisions”, TIPRO highlighted in that report.
“When incorporating direct, indirect, and induced multipliers for employment at the national level, the industry supported 19,282,999 million jobs last year,” the report added, noting that there were “373,478 direct U.S. upstream sector jobs in 2025, a net decline of 9,218 jobs compared to 2024”.
To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com
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