AUSTIN — New data from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) reveals upstream oil and natural gas employment grew by 2,500 in January 2025, compared to December 2024.
This is growth on top of TWC’s just-released upward revisions for 2024. For example, December 2024 employment is now estimated at 200,900, whereas the original estimate was 195,500.
“As geopolitical circumstances continue to evolve and domestic policy is being examined, the Texas oil and natural gas industry started the year off with positive job growth, which is a reminder of the important role played by this critical industry in providing energy security across the globe,” TXOGA President Todd Staples stated. “As geopolitical circumstances continue to evolve and domestic policy is being examined, the Texas oil and natural gas industry started the year off with positive job growth, which is a reminder of the important role played by this critical industry in providing energy security across the globe.”
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A news release stated that since the COVID-low point of September 2020, the oil and gas industry has added 46,400 Texas upstream jobs, averaging growth of 892 jobs a month. During the same time, months with upstream oil and gas employment increases have outnumbered those with a decrease of 37 to 14.
TXOGA says these jobs pay among the highest wages in Texas, with employers in oil and natural gas paying an average salary of about $128,000 in 2024.
The upstream sector involves oil and natural gas extraction and excludes other industry sectors, such as refining, petrochemicals, fuels wholesaling, oilfield equipment manufacturing, pipelines, and gas utilities.
Source: Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA)
