Field Engineer vs Project Manager

Side-by-side career comparison in oil & gas

	Field Engineer	Project Manager
Average Salary	$71,802 - $83,897	$100,205 - $145,269
BLS Median	$130,850 (BLS median)	$101,480 (BLS median)
Open Positions	33	122
Education	B.S. in Petroleum Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field	B.S. in Engineering or Business; MBA preferred
Key Certifications	Well Control Certification SafeLand/SafeGulf	PMP (Project Management Professional) Six Sigma
Top Skills	excel customer relations data management critical evaluation organizational skills accountability ethical practice business acumen	excel Project Management drilling Communication Project management Leadership Time Management Engineering
Top Hiring Companies	Kiewit (4) Bechtel (3) STQ Partners (2) TMEIC (2) Level 10 Construction (1)	Oceaneering (5) Kiewit (3) Mclaurin Aerospace (2) Tesla (2) James Construction Group, LLC (2)
Experience Levels	Entry Level: 32, Student: 1	Entry Level: 98, Senior Level: 20, Student: 1, Mid Level: 3
Career Path	Entry Level → Mid Level → Senior → Lead/Principal View full career path →	Entry Level → Mid Level → Senior → Lead/Principal View full career path →

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