Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,420 | $18.95 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $61,770 | $29.70 |
| Mean (average) | $63,960 | $30.75 |
| 90th percentile | $91,820 | $44.14 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Pump operators, except wellhead pumpers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 38 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $66,890 | $41,030 | $88,020 | 100 | 0.74 |
| Alaska | $80,210 | $62,210 | $98,810 | 120 | 6 |
| California | $57,660 | $36,470 | $86,390 | 1,220 | 1.07 |
| Colorado | $46,680 | $45,730 | $89,510 | ||
| Connecticut | $71,890 | $41,090 | $74,000 | 30 | 0.31 |
| Florida | $59,120 | $38,080 | $74,920 | 510 | 0.82 |
| Georgia | $64,050 | $35,300 | $93,300 | 130 | 0.43 |
| Idaho | $60,200 | $52,060 | $80,060 | ||
| Illinois | $92,310 | $62,510 | $116,120 | 50 | 0.13 |
| Indiana | $60,620 | $46,600 | $67,390 | ||
| Kentucky | $46,600 | $38,130 | $70,050 | 40 | 0.32 |
| Louisiana | $64,110 | $39,650 | $78,990 | 1,370 | 11.3 |
| Maine | $51,370 | $44,440 | $93,500 | ||
| Michigan | $69,540 | $46,800 | $118,810 | 40 | 0.13 |
| Minnesota | $59,700 | $56,740 | $101,140 | 60 | 0.33 |
| Mississippi | $61,670 | $43,490 | $71,830 | 70 | 1 |
| Missouri | $44,650 | $35,440 | $48,520 | 70 | 0.35 |
| Montana | $71,770 | $46,110 | $113,410 | 50 | 1.67 |
| Nebraska | $46,170 | $45,760 | $48,110 | ||
| Nevada | $57,980 | $46,930 | $84,980 | 150 | 1.53 |
| New Jersey | $64,990 | $61,030 | $95,450 | 310 | 1.13 |
| New Mexico | $58,920 | $46,700 | $81,010 | 80 | 1.5 |
| New York | $48,010 | $43,720 | $77,200 | 300 | 0.5 |
| North Carolina | $45,890 | $37,700 | $59,760 | 180 | 0.58 |
| North Dakota | $81,400 | $49,920 | $100,830 | 70 | 2.76 |
| Ohio | $64,700 | $47,570 | $88,720 | 150 | 0.44 |
| Oklahoma | $46,900 | $38,600 | $76,900 | 90 | 0.8 |
| Oregon | $54,540 | $38,710 | $88,200 | 630 | 5.12 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,660 | $40,890 | $83,280 | 190 | 0.51 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,370 | $24,660 | $43,540 | 90 | 1.56 |
| Tennessee | $52,120 | $35,440 | $62,810 | 80 | 0.4 |
| Texas | $61,770 | $40,660 | $105,620 | 2,110 | 2.38 |
| Utah | $61,590 | $44,030 | $106,650 | 250 | 2.31 |
| Virginia | $66,500 | $53,090 | $75,400 | 150 | 0.59 |
| Washington | $57,030 | $55,980 | $115,920 | 80 | 0.38 |
| West Virginia | $61,450 | $54,630 | $90,200 | ||
| Wisconsin | $60,320 | $52,000 | $116,800 | 70 | 0.4 |
| Wyoming | $77,820 | $49,150 | $94,540 | 290 | 16.39 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at specified levels, reporting abnormalities as necessary.
- Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times.
- Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of interconnections and capacities of pipelines, valve manifolds, pumps, and tankage.
- Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.
- Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.
- Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.
- Tend vessels that store substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials, checking levels of substances by using calibrated rods or by reading mercury gauges and tank charts.
- Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Operational databases
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Troubleshooting, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Coordination.
Common job titles: Boom Pump Operator, Chemical Pumper, Day Light Relief Operator, Outside Operator, Pipeline Dispatch Operator, Pipeline Operator, Pump Operator, Pump Station Operator, Pumper, Tank Farm Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do pump operators, except wellhead pumpers make?
The national median annual wage for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers was $61,770 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $39,420 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $91,820. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do pump operators, except wellhead pumpers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is pump operators, except wellhead pumpers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of pump operators, except wellhead pumpers to change +4.3% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay pump operators, except wellhead pumpers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Illinois ($92,310), North Dakota ($81,400), Alaska ($80,210). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.