53 Series · SOC 53-7072
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $61,770
- Median / year
- $91,820
- Top 10% earn
- +2.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 9,780
- US workers
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers earn a median of $61,770 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $61,770, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $39,420 (10th percentile) to $91,820 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 9,780 US workers. Illinois pays the most ($92,310), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers earn a median of $61,770, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 50% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Transportation and Material Moving, it ranks #16 of 50 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 2.6% by 2033.
- $61,770
- Median annual wage
- Top 50%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #16 of 50
- in Transportation and Material Moving
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Illinois at $92,310. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (SOC 53-7072) pays a national median of $61,770 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $39,420 at the 10th percentile to $91,820 at the 90th, with a mean of $63,960 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 9,780 Americans work in this occupation across 38 reporting states and 46 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +2.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,500 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of C for this role, with a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 4.8 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Illinois pays the highest state median at $92,310, which is +49% above the national figure. The top metro is Alaska nonmetropolitan area at $98,800 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$61,770
per year
Median Hourly
$29.70/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$63,960
average
Employment
9,780
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$61,770 Top 50% higher than 50% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 53-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 53-series occupations with growth data, Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers sits on the slower-growing side at +2.6% growth and $61,770 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+2.6%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,500
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Moderate Risk
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
17.5/100K
Injury Rate
4.8/100
Danger Index
28/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key 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.
- ▸ Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.
- ▸ Tend auxiliary equipment such as water treatment and refrigeration units, and heat exchangers.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$39,420
25th Percentile
$47,560
Median
$61,770
75th Percentile
$77,210
90th Percentile
$91,820
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 38 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $92,310 | +49% above national |
| 2 | North Dakota | $81,400 | +32% above national |
| 3 | Alaska | $80,210 | +30% above national |
| 4 | Wyoming | $77,820 | +26% above national |
| 5 | Connecticut | $71,890 | +16% above national |
| 6 | Montana | $71,770 | +16% above national |
| 7 | Michigan | $69,540 | +13% above national |
| 8 | Alabama | $66,890 | +8% above national |
| 9 | Virginia | $66,500 | +8% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $64,990 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $64,700 | +5% above national |
| 12 | Louisiana | $64,110 | +4% above national |
| 13 | Georgia | $64,050 | +4% above national |
| 14 | Texas | $61,770 | same as national |
| 15 | Mississippi | $61,670 | same as national |
| 16 | Utah | $61,590 | same as national |
| 17 | West Virginia | $61,450 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $60,660 | 2% below national |
| 19 | Indiana | $60,620 | 2% below national |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $60,320 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Idaho | $60,200 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Minnesota | $59,700 | 3% below national |
| 23 | Florida | $59,120 | 4% below national |
| 24 | New Mexico | $58,920 | 5% below national |
| 25 | Nevada | $57,980 | 6% below national |
| 26 | California | $57,660 | 7% below national |
| 27 | Washington | $57,030 | 8% below national |
| 28 | Oregon | $54,540 | 12% below national |
| 29 | Tennessee | $52,120 | 16% below national |
| 30 | Maine | $51,370 | 17% below national |
| 31 | New York | $48,010 | 22% below national |
| 32 | Oklahoma | $46,900 | 24% below national |
| 33 | Colorado | $46,680 | 24% below national |
| 34 | Kentucky | $46,600 | 25% below national |
| 35 | Nebraska | $46,170 | 25% below national |
| 36 | North Carolina | $45,890 | 26% below national |
| 37 | Missouri | $44,650 | 28% below national |
| 38 | Puerto Rico | $35,370 | 43% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 46 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $98,800 | +60% above national |
| 2 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $82,090 | +33% above national |
| 3 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $81,400 | +32% above national |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $79,840 | +29% above national |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $79,010 | +28% above national |
| 6 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $77,820 | +26% above national |
| 7 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $76,670 | +24% above national |
| 8 | Anchorage, AK | $75,810 | +23% above national |
| 9 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,780 | +16% above national |
| 10 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $67,550 | +9% above national |
| 11 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $66,920 | +8% above national |
| 12 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $64,220 | +4% above national |
| 13 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $64,050 | +4% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $63,540 | +3% above national |
| 15 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $63,480 | +3% above national |
| 16 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $63,110 | +2% above national |
| 17 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $63,060 | +2% above national |
| 18 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $62,870 | +2% above national |
| 19 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $62,820 | +2% above national |
| 20 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $62,750 | +2% above national |
| 21 | Wasatch Front Fringe Utah nonmetropolitan area | $62,540 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $60,990 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Casper, WY | $60,130 | 3% below national |
| 24 | Fresno, CA | $59,540 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Corpus Christi, TX | $59,300 | 4% below national |
| 26 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $59,250 | 4% below national |
| 27 | Jacksonville, FL | $57,930 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Bend, OR | $57,730 | 7% below national |
| 29 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $55,120 | 11% below national |
| 30 | Midland, TX | $54,800 | 11% below national |
| 31 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $54,040 | 13% below national |
| 32 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $53,980 | 13% below national |
| 33 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $53,930 | 13% below national |
| 34 | Longview, TX | $53,720 | 13% below national |
| 35 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $52,980 | 14% below national |
| 36 | Salem, OR | $48,200 | 22% below national |
| 37 | Albany, OR | $48,150 | 22% below national |
| 38 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $46,740 | 24% below national |
| 39 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $46,310 | 25% below national |
| 40 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $45,990 | 26% below national |
| 41 | Greeley, CO | $45,730 | 26% below national |
| 42 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $45,620 | 26% below national |
| 43 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $42,640 | 31% below national |
| 44 | Visalia, CA | $39,520 | 36% below national |
| 45 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $38,360 | 38% below national |
| 46 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $35,360 | 43% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 53 (transportation and material moving) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers make? ▼
What state pays Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
How dangerous is being a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
Is Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers a good career? ▼
How does Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $77,210/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Illinois leads at $92,310/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.