truest.me
Explore CareersSponsor Someone 🎁Log InSign Up
truest.me
AboutCareer Growth ToolsWays to access truestPricingSponsor people/teamsWho is truest for
Terms of useContactPrivacy policytruest is a public benefit company
Copyright © 2026, Truest.me. All rights reserved.
Browse Careers
Career Explorer →
Tracks
See all →
Admin & OfficeAgricultureArts & MediaBusiness OperationsConstructionEducationEngineeringExecutive LeadershipFacilitiesFinanceFood ServiceHealthcareHuman ResourcesLegalMaintenance & RepairMarketingOperationsPersonal CareProductionProtective ServicesReal EstateSalesScienceSocial ServicesTechnologyTransportation
Top industries
See all →
HealthcareAdministrative ServicesK-12 SchoolsHospitality & Food ServiceHospital SystemsRetailWholesale & DistributionCatering & Mobile Food ServicesProfessional ServicesHospitals & Medical CentersEducationRestaurants & DiningGovernmentManufacturingAmbulatory Healthcare ServicesAdministrative Support ServicesConstructionFinancial ServicesGeneral Merchandise StoresColleges & UniversitiesConsumer ServicesLocal Government ServicesFull-Service RestaurantsSpecialty Trade ContractorsTransportation & LogisticsReal Estate Services
Top metros
See all →
New York-NewarkLos Angeles-Long BeachChicago-NapervilleDallas-Fort WorthHouston-PasadenaWashington-ArlingtonAtlanta-Sandy SpringsPhiladelphia-CamdenMiami-Fort LauderdaleBoston-CambridgeSan Francisco-OaklandPhoenix-MesaSeattle-TacomaMinneapolis-St. PaulDetroit-WarrenRiverside-San BernardinoDenver-AuroraSan Diego-Chula VistaTampa-St. PetersburgOrlando-KissimmeeCharlotte-ConcordBaltimore-ColumbiaSt. LouisAustin-Round RockPortland-VancouverSan Jose-Sunnyvale
Careers›Roles›Completion Engineer
Mid-Level

Completion Engineer

Once a well is drilled, someone has to make it actually produce, and that's you: designing and overseeing the completion that turns a hole in the ground into a flowing well. Engineering the step between drilling and production.

Career Level
Junior
Mid
Senior
Director
VP
Executive
Work Personality
R
I
C
E
A
S
Realistichands-on, practical
Investigativeanalytical, curious
Based on Holland Code framework
Industries that often hire Completion Engineers
Manufacturing · 9%Professional Services · 9%Transportation & Logistics · 7%Government · 3%Energy & Utilities · 2%Financial Services · 1%
Job markets for Completion Engineers
Employment concentration · ~42 areas
Based on employment in related occupations
Mapped SOC categories:
Engineering
BLS Occupational Employment Statistics
Jump to:What it's likeCareer pathsBy the numbers
What it's like

What it's like to be a Completion Engineer

Work blends design and field oversight: planning completions, selecting equipment, and supervising the high-stakes operations that bring a well online, moving between the office and the rig. A completion mistake is expensive and hard to fix, so the craft is careful design plus calm decisions under field pressure.

The harder part is the rig life and the industry's swings: remote sites, long hitches, and work tied to volatile oil and gas prices. Conditions can be demanding and hazardous, decisions carry real money and safety stakes, and the work can be feast-or-famine. It rewards adaptability.

It fits someone technically sharp, decisive, and tolerant of remote, irregular work. If you want home every night or a stable office, rig life won't suit. But if there's satisfaction in solving high-stakes problems and bringing a well into production, the work tends to be genuinely engaging, if demanding.

What people in this role value
Working ConditionsAbove avg
IndependenceAbove avg
AchievementAbove avg
RecognitionAbove avg
SupportAbove avg
RelationshipsLower
O*NET Work Values survey
✦ Editorial — written by Truest from industry research and career patterns
Career Paths

Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.

Earning potential across this track
$239K$179K$119K$60K$0KLower paying387 metro areas, sorted by salary level
All experience levels1
This level's estimated range
INDUSTRIES PAYING ABOVE AVERAGE
Technology & Information$117K+15%
Professional Services$103K+1%
Energy & Utilities$87K-14%
Financial Services$86K-16%
Wholesale & Distribution$74K-28%
Compared to Engineering average across all industries
1 BLS OEWS May 2024 covers all Completion Engineers (SOC 17-2171.00), not just this title · BEA RPP 2023
* Top salaries exceed this figure. BLS caps reported wages at ~$240K to protect individual privacy in high-earning roles.
Related rolesExplore Engineering →
Completion EngineerDesign EngineerResearch EngineerTest EngineerSupplier Quality Engineer (SQE)Operations EngineerReservoir EngineerExploration EngineerGas EngineerMud EngineerDrilling EngineerPetroleum EngineerCompletions EngineerNatural Gas EngineerPetroleum Production EngineerMining and Oil Field Equipment Test Engineer
Exploring the Completion Engineer career path? Truest helps you figure out if it's the right fit — and plan your path forward.
Explore career tools
✦ Editorial — career progression and interview guidance based on industry patterns
The Broader Landscape

Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.

$79K–$229K
Salary Range
10th – 90th percentile
19K
U.S. Employment
+1.3%
10yr Growth
1K
Annual Openings

How this category is changing

$77K$74K$71K$68K$65K201920202021202220232024$65K$77K
BLS OEWS May 2024 · BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034

Skills & Requirements

Critical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisJudgment and Decision MakingWritingSpeakingComplex Problem SolvingMonitoring
O*NET OnLine · Bureau of Labor Statistics
Mapped SOC Codes
17-2171.00

Explore related roles

Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths

midDesign Engineer$116KseniorSenior Design Engineer$116KmidResearch Engineer$114KseniorSenior Research Engineer$114KmidTest Engineer$115KseniorSenior Test Engineer$115K
View all Engineering roles →

Navigate your career with clarity

Truest gives you tools to understand your strengths, explore roles that fit, and plan your next move.

Explore Truest career tools
Federal data: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (May 2024) · BLS Employment Projections · O*NET OnLine
Truest editorial: Fit check, role profile, things that vary, advancement analysis, lateral moves, interview questions.