Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 53-7072

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

O*NET task statements lead this Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, Crane and Tower Operators, Locomotive Engineers, Transportation Inspectors.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($232K) , Crane and Tower Operators ($68K) , Locomotive Engineers ($81K) , Transportation Inspectors ($92K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 53-7072 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at spec…
  2. 2. Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times
  3. 3. Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of interconnections and capacities of…
  4. 4. Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials
  5. 5. Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances
  6. 6. Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools
  7. 7. Tend vessels that store substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials, checking levels of substances by using calibr…
  8. 8. Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment
  9. 9. Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped
  10. 10. Tend auxiliary equipment such as water treatment and refrigeration units, and heat exchangers
  11. 11. Add chemicals and solutions to tanks to ensure that specifications are met
  12. 12. Collect and deliver sample solutions for laboratory analysis

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 53-7072 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.9
  2. 2. Monitoring 3.5
  3. 3. Operation and Control 3.5
  4. 4. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  5. 5. Active Listening 3.1
  6. 6. Speaking 3.1
  7. 7. Critical Thinking 3.1
  8. 8. Troubleshooting 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.4
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.3
  3. 3. English Language 3.3
  4. 4. Mathematics 3.0
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.0
  6. 6. Computers and Electronics 3.0
National median after O*NET task lead
$61,770
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at spec…
$62K
National median
↑ +3%
Growth 2024-2034
1,500
Annual openings
9,780
Estimated US jobs
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers
Highest-pay peer · $232K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

1. Illinois $92,310
2. Virginia $66,500
3. North Dakota $81,400
4. New Jersey $64,990
5. Wyoming $77,820
6. Connecticut $71,890
7. Michigan $69,540
8. Alaska $80,210
9. Montana $71,770
10. Alabama $66,890

Other Transportation and Material Moving Occupations titles

  1. 1. Locomotive Engineers $81,410
  2. 2. Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers $232,140
  3. 3. Transportation Inspectors $92,100
  4. 4. Subway and Streetcar Operators $86,380
  5. 5. Crane and Tower Operators $68,080
  6. 6. Air Traffic Controllers $148,080

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (SOC 53-7072). The national OEWS median is $61,770 inside Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers, Crane and Tower Operators, Locomotive Engineers, Transportation Inspectors. Lead published task: Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at spec….

Employment Projections expect +3% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,500 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Illinois at $92,310. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers at $232,140. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers pay-rank #16 in Transportation and Material Moving Occupations

Among 50 detailed Transportation and Material Moving Occupations with a published OEWS median, Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is pay-rank #16, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 53-7072 · national median $61,770 · upper third of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations (#16/50). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 53-7072

Illinois · top state for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

$92K published median

Virginia · #2 state pay

$67K · behind Illinois

Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Highest-pay peer vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers · $232K

Crane and Tower Operators

Lower-pay peer beside Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers · $68K

Compare Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Transportation and Material Moving Occupations titles sit near Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is pay-rank #16 of 50 detailed Transportation and Material Moving Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors ($63K), Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers ($61K), Flight Attendants ($64K), Crane and Tower Operators ($68K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do pump operators, except wellhead pumpers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers. Leading ones include: Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at spec…; 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…; Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers? ▼
For SOC 53-7072, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.9), Monitoring (3.5), Operation and Control (3.5), Reading Comprehension (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $61,770 as the national median for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers. The published 10th-90th range is $39,420 to $91,820. Beside Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($232,140), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is +3%. Projected annual openings: about 1,500. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
Illinois ($92,310), Virginia ($66,500), North Dakota ($81,400) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 53-7072. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics