The average salary of oil and gas workers in Kazakhstan reached 1.8 million tenge ($3,600) in the first quarter of 2026, making the sector one of the country’s highest-paying industries. Among all sectors, only the tobacco industry reported a higher average salary, at nearly 2 million tenge, according to data from the Bureau of National Statistics (BNS) highlighted by expert Nurlan Zhumagulov.
Oil and gas workers earn nearly four times the national average salary, which stood at 461,000 tenge ($925) in Q1 2026.
Salaries in the oil and gas industry continue to significantly exceed those in other extractive sectors.
The average monthly wage in metal ore mining stood at 839,000 tenge, less than half the level reported in the oil and gas industry. In other mineral extraction industries, the average salary was 411,000 tenge, or more than four times lower than that of oil and gas workers.
According to official statistics, approximately 48,000 people are employed in Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry.
