Pump Operator Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of pump operators to grow 4.3% from 2025 to 2035 (about 400 more jobs), with about 1,000 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $61,770 a year ranks 408th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +4.3%
- Openings a year
- 1,000
- Median pay
- $61,770
- Pay rank
- 408th of 825
Is employment of pump operators growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of pump operators to rise 4.3% (about 400 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +4.3% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 50 transportation and material moving occupations with a projection. That change ranks 281st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 9,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 10,200 |
| Projected change | +4.3% |
| Openings a year | 1,000 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 9,800 jobs here differ from the 9,780 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 1,000 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 659th most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 40 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for pump operators rank?
The median of $61,770 a year ranks 408th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | +2.1% | 300 | $77,320 |
| Wellhead Pumpers | -2.0% | 1,700 | $69,960 |
| Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders | +2.8% | 1,300 | $58,870 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | -1.9% | 2,700 | $96,710 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -5.7% | 5,200 | $51,610 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | +3.1% | 3,200 | $78,620 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | -5.7% | 10,000 | $60,020 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | -5.2% | 1,300 | $78,120 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.