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The pay: Because of the way the United States and global econ-
omies still rely largely on fossil fuels to meet their ever-growing
energy needs, workers in this industry tend to be in demand and
highly paid. Based on BLS data, the average salary for full-time
employees in this industry is more than $99,000 annually. Do note
that these numbers reflect the total industry and not just skilled
trades jobs. For instance, engineers and scientists figure heavily
into this industry and are not generally considered part of the
skilled trades.
The prospects: BLS is projecting a 10-year growth rate of 13.6
percent for this industry, signaling plentiful job prospects well into
the future.
The education: Many jobs in the mining, quarrying, and oil and
gas extraction industries don’t require formal credentials or