How Much Does a Senior Landman Make? (2025)
A senior landman is responsible for confirming land ownership for lease/purchase, negotiating agreements with landowners for drilling or production rights, drafting and administering contracts, and ensuring compliance with government regulations.
According to a 2024 Compensation Study, the employment of salary landmen varies depending on the industry. The top sectors are oil and gas independent companies with 37%, brokerage firm/broker/land services providers with 34%, oil and gas major companies with 7%, private equity companies and mineral management firms with 6%, and renewable energy companies with 3%.
Read this salary guide and explore senior landman salary insights, responsibilities of this career, and factors that affect their compensation, and how to become one.
What Does a Senior Landman do?
A senior landman is an important job title in the management and optimization of a company's land assets. Usually in oil and gas industries, they lead project requirements in operations, such as title, curative, contracts, division of interests, and regulatory compliance. They assess complicated land issues, conduct research on solutions, and coordinate multi-functional teams.
Here are more detailed roles and responsibilities of senior landmen:
- They review and draft complex agreements and land-related contracts and provide guidance to ensure favorable outcomes for the company.
- They conduct examination of titles before drilling, curing of title requirements, prepare well-by-well divisions of interest, and give final title approval before spud.
- They plan and coordinate pad locations, easements, and rights of ways.
- They are the senior resources for resolving complex queries from internal and external stakeholders.
- They assist in developing and implementing strategies for optimal development of company assets.
- They coordinate with state and federal regulations to support permits, drills, and production objectives.
- They help acquisition, divestitures, and trade by negotiating, due diligence, and integration.
What is a Senior Landman Salary Overview?
As of October 24, 2025, the average salary for senior landman in the United States is $151,200 annually. The range is from $131,522 to $172,215, with earnings mostly between $140,900 and $162,200.
The average monthly rate is $12,600 with a range from $10,960 to $14,351, while the average hourly rate is $73 with a range from $63 to $83.
2025 Senior Landman Salary: $151,200 per year ($73 per hour)
Depending on the percentile, a senior landman salary with bonus ranges from $125,676 to $212,984, with $172,100 as the average value.
| Percentile | Salary + Bonus |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $125,676 |
| 25th Percentile | $147,800 |
| 50th Percentile | $172,100 |
| 75th Percentile | $193,500 |
| 90th Percentile | $212,984 |
The average total compensation for senior landmen, including the core compensation and benefits, is $231,434. The median base salary for senior landman makes up 65.3% of the total compensation, while benefits like social security, health insurance, retirement plan, and paid time off make up 21%.
| Core Compensation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Median | % of Total | |
| Base Salary | $151,200 | 65.3% |
| Bonus | $20,900 | 9.0% |
| Value of Benefits | ||
| Social Security | $13,166 | 5.7% |
| 401K/403B | $8,089 | 3.5% |
| Disability | $1,377 | 0.6% |
| Healthcare | $6,056 | 2.6% |
| Pension | $9,466 | 4.1% |
| Time Off | $21,182 | 9.2% |
| Total Compensation | $231,434 | 100% |
What Can Affect Senior Landman Salaries?
Factors, like experience level, geographic location, education, company size, and skills, can affect the salary for senior landman. Here are the effects of these factors in terms of annual compensation.
By Experience Level
The salary for senior landman varies depending on the experience level. An entry-level senior landman pay is $146,354, while an expert-level with over 8 years of experience can expect $157,169 on average.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Senior Landman | $146,354 |
| Intermediate Level Senior Landman | $147,145 |
| Senior Level Senior Landman | $148,727 |
| Specialist Level Senior Landman | $154,294 |
| Expert Level Senior Landman | $157,169 |
By Geographic Location
Key factors why geographic location affects salaries in the United States are the local economy, cost of living, and industry presence. Here are the hot cities in the US for senior landmen:
| Cities | 25th Percentile | 50th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, California | $175,900 | $188,900 | $202,600 |
| Washington, District of Columbia | $156,000 | $167,400 | $179,600 |
| Miami, Florida | $135,400 | $145,300 | $155,900 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $145,600 | $156,300 | $167,600 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $157,100 | $168,700 | $180,900 |
| New York, New York | $163,300 | $175,300 | $188,000 |
| Dallas, Texas | $139,100 | $149,300 | $160,200 |
According to Salary.com data, San Francisco, CA has the most competitive pay among the hot cities, with salaries ranging from $175,900 to $202,600, while Miami, FL has the least, with salaries ranging from $135,400 to $155,900.
By Skills
Compensation for senior landmen gets higher with more acquired skills. High-demand competencies also respond with higher earning potential.
Data from Salary.com's Real-time Job Posting Salary Data Report suggests that senior landmen with skills in Regulatory Compliance can experience the highest pay increase at 7.70%, followed by Stakeholder Management at 7.51%.
Meanwhile, the most in-demand skills are Land Management and Title Examination at 10.30%. Some highly compensated skills also include Document Management, Due Diligence, and Land Acquisition.
| Skills | Demand | Salary Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Compliance | 10.00% | +7.70% |
| Stakeholder Management | 10.00% | +7.51% |
| Due Diligence | 10.00% | +7.50% |
| Land Management | 10.30% | +7.45% |
| Document Management | 10.00% | +7.35% |
| Title Examination | 10.30% | +7.09% |
How to Become a Senior Landman
To become a senior landman, one needs to meet the educational, experience, abilities, and certification requirements. Here are ways and tips on how to do that:
-
Education
Becoming a senior landman starts by getting a bachelor's degree in business, finance, environmental studies, or related fields. Certifications and credentials also help in the credibility of a landman's knowledge and skills in land management. This includes a Certified Professional Landman (CPL) and familiarity with land management software and GIS tools. -
Experience
The position as senior landman comes with extensive practical work experience. The role usually requires 4 to 7 years of related experience, especially in evaluating and addressing complex land issues and excellent due diligence in industry transactions. -
Skills
Competencies that are helpful in advancing senior landman role include strong analytical, written and verbal communication, collaborative, innovative, and proactive skills. Important competencies include regulatory compliance, stakeholder management, due diligence, land management, document management, and title examination.
What are the FAQs about the Senior Landman?
Here are some common questions about the compensation for senior landmen:
What is the base salary of senior landman?
The base salary of senior landman is $151,200 per year in the United States. The monthly rate is $12,600, the weekly rate is $2,908, and the hourly rate is $73.
What is the average salary range for a senior landman in the United States in 2025?
The salary range for a senior landman in the United States in 2025 is $131,522 to $172,215, with earnings mostly between $140,900 and $162,200. The monthly range is $10,960 to $14,351, the weekly range is $2,529 to $3,312, and the hourly range is $63 to $83.
What factors influence the salary of a senior landman, such as location or years of experience?
The factors that influence the salary of senior landman are location, experience level, skills, and compensation package. The highest paying city is San Jose, CA with $190,700. The expert-level senior landman gets $157,169. Moreover, skills in regulatory compliance and stakeholder management provide a salary increase as high as 7.70%. Meanwhile, depending on the company, the average total compensation for senior landmen, including perks and benefits, amounts to $231,434.
