47 Series · SOC 47-5013
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $58,160
- Median / year
- $97,560
- Top 10% earn
- +0.4%
- Growth '23–'33
- 43,140
- US workers
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas earn a median of $58,160 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $58,160, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,940 (10th percentile) to $97,560 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 43,140 US workers. Alaska pays the most ($106,480), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas earn a median of $58,160, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 44% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #27 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.4% by 2033.
- $58,160
- Median annual wage
- Top 56%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #27 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Alaska at $106,480. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (SOC 47-5013) pays a national median of $58,160 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,940 at the 10th percentile to $97,560 at the 90th, with a mean of $62,470 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 43,140 Americans work in this occupation across 27 reporting states and 77 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,100 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is No formal educational credential, with less than 5 years of prior experience generally required 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 B for this role, with a fatality rate of 12.4 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.5 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $106,480, which is +83% above the national figure. The top metro is Alaska nonmetropolitan area at $111,820 - 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
$58,160
per year
Median Hourly
$27.96/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$62,470
average
Employment
43,140
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$58,160 Bottom 44% higher than 44% 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 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 47-series occupations with growth data, Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas sits on the slower-growing side at +0.4% growth and $58,160 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.4%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
4,100
per year (projected)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
Work Experience
Less than 5 years
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
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 Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
- ▸ Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
- ▸ Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
- ▸ Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
- ▸ Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
- ▸ Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.
- ▸ Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
- ▸ Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.
- ▸ Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
- ▸ Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.
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
$38,940
25th Percentile
$47,480
Median
$58,160
75th Percentile
$73,230
90th Percentile
$97,560
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 27 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $106,480 | +83% above national |
| 2 | Missouri | $90,580 | +56% above national |
| 3 | Montana | $77,750 | +34% above national |
| 4 | New Mexico | $64,990 | +12% above national |
| 5 | Nebraska | $62,990 | +8% above national |
| 6 | California | $62,580 | +8% above national |
| 7 | Wyoming | $62,560 | +8% above national |
| 8 | Florida | $62,050 | +7% above national |
| 9 | Ohio | $61,260 | +5% above national |
| 10 | North Dakota | $60,810 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Louisiana | $60,760 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Colorado | $60,290 | +4% above national |
| 13 | Indiana | $56,980 | 2% below national |
| 14 | Oklahoma | $56,680 | 3% below national |
| 15 | Utah | $56,290 | 3% below national |
| 16 | West Virginia | $56,250 | 3% below national |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $54,780 | 6% below national |
| 18 | Michigan | $52,000 | 11% below national |
| 19 | South Dakota | $49,920 | 14% below national |
| 20 | Texas | $49,820 | 14% below national |
| 21 | Mississippi | $49,610 | 15% below national |
| 22 | Alabama | $49,490 | 15% below national |
| 23 | Arkansas | $48,120 | 17% below national |
| 24 | Kansas | $46,230 | 21% below national |
| 25 | New York | $45,750 | 21% below national |
| 26 | Illinois | $41,680 | 28% below national |
| 27 | Kentucky | $28,280 | 51% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 77 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $111,820 | +92% above national |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $95,370 | +64% above national |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $91,890 | +58% above national |
| 4 | Cheyenne, WY | $81,590 | +40% above national |
| 5 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $78,120 | +34% above national |
| 6 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $77,430 | +33% above national |
| 7 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $76,980 | +32% above national |
| 8 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $66,820 | +15% above national |
| 9 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $66,550 | +14% above national |
| 10 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $66,220 | +14% above national |
| 11 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $65,410 | +12% above national |
| 12 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $65,190 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $65,140 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Casper, WY | $64,680 | +11% above national |
| 15 | Farmington, NM | $64,500 | +11% above national |
| 16 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $62,610 | +8% above national |
| 17 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $62,560 | +8% above national |
| 18 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $62,260 | +7% above national |
| 19 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $62,170 | +7% above national |
| 20 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $62,130 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Tulsa, OK | $62,110 | +7% above national |
| 22 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $61,570 | +6% above national |
| 23 | Williamsport, PA | $61,280 | +5% above national |
| 24 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $60,870 | +5% above national |
| 25 | Charleston, WV | $60,680 | +4% above national |
| 26 | Oklahoma City, OK | $60,260 | +4% above national |
| 27 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $60,070 | +3% above national |
| 28 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,520 | +2% above national |
| 29 | Baton Rouge, LA | $59,440 | +2% above national |
| 30 | Minot, ND | $59,400 | +2% above national |
| 31 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $59,350 | +2% above national |
| 32 | Abilene, TX | $58,830 | +1% above national |
| 33 | Victoria, TX | $57,050 | 2% below national |
| 34 | Vallejo, CA | $57,020 | 2% below national |
| 35 | Lake Charles, LA | $56,880 | 2% below national |
| 36 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $56,560 | 3% below national |
| 37 | Grand Junction, CO | $56,370 | 3% below national |
| 38 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $55,810 | 4% below national |
| 39 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $55,100 | 5% below national |
| 40 | Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $53,340 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Traverse City, MI | $52,620 | 10% below national |
| 42 | Jackson, MS | $51,860 | 11% below national |
| 43 | Greeley, CO | $51,650 | 11% below national |
| 44 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $50,800 | 13% below national |
| 45 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $50,700 | 13% below national |
| 46 | Wichita, KS | $50,650 | 13% below national |
| 47 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $49,940 | 14% below national |
| 48 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $49,750 | 14% below national |
| 49 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $49,590 | 15% below national |
| 50 | Midland, TX | $49,470 | 15% below national |
| 51 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $49,250 | 15% below national |
| 52 | Odessa, TX | $49,080 | 16% below national |
| 53 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $49,070 | 16% below national |
| 54 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $49,070 | 16% below national |
| 55 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $48,920 | 16% below national |
| 56 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $48,900 | 16% below national |
| 57 | Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $48,690 | 16% below national |
| 58 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $48,540 | 17% below national |
| 59 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $48,200 | 17% below national |
| 60 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $48,090 | 17% below national |
| 61 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $48,040 | 17% below national |
| 62 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $47,840 | 18% below national |
| 63 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $47,650 | 18% below national |
| 64 | Lafayette, LA | $47,020 | 19% below national |
| 65 | Enid, OK | $47,000 | 19% below national |
| 66 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,890 | 19% below national |
| 67 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,500 | 20% below national |
| 68 | Longview, TX | $46,280 | 20% below national |
| 69 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $46,230 | 21% below national |
| 70 | Corpus Christi, TX | $46,160 | 21% below national |
| 71 | Lubbock, TX | $45,730 | 21% below national |
| 72 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $45,720 | 21% below national |
| 73 | Laredo, TX | $45,080 | 22% below national |
| 74 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $43,160 | 26% below national |
| 75 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $40,100 | 31% below national |
| 76 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $37,310 | 36% below national |
| 77 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $36,880 | 37% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 47 (construction and extraction) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas make? ▼
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What education do you need to become a Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas? ▼
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Is Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas a good career? ▼
How does Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $73,230/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: Alaska leads at $106,480/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.