The median pay for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is $61,770 a year ($29.70/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% through 2035, with about 1,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-7072
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers in four numbers
- Median pay
- $61,770a year, or $29.70/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $92K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.3%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.3%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.3% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,0009,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20259.8K
- Projected 203510.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 9.8K Projected 2035 10.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school60.9%
- Certificate8.4%
- Some college8.5%
- Associate's4.6%
- Bachelor's17.6%
Highest education held by pump operators, except wellhead pumpers Segment Value High school 60.9% Certificate 8.4% Some college 8.5% Associate's 4.6% Bachelor's 17.6%
Also advertised as: Boom Pump Operator, Chemical Pumper, Day Light Relief Operator, Outside Operator, Pipeline Dispatch Operator, Pipeline Operator.
Pay
How much do Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers make?
Every pump operator, except wellhead pumpers in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$61,770
Middle half earn $47,560 to $77,210
- 10th
- $39,420
- 25th
- $47,560
- 75th
- $77,210
- 90th
- $91,820
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $39,420 |
| 25th | $47,560 |
| Median | $61,770 |
| 75th | $77,210 |
| 90th | $91,820 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $61,770
- Median hourly wage
- $29.70/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $63,960
- People employed
- 9,780
Versus all US occupations
At $61,770, Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers earn 21% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $10,790 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
The median is typical for the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $91,820 or more while the bottom 10% earn $39,420, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 35% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Illinois pays the most at $92,310, and still leads at $92,349 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Illinois | $92,310 | $92,349 | 50 |
| 2North Dakota | $81,400 | $91,503 | 70 |
| 3Alaska | $80,210 | $78,361 | 120 |
| 4Wyoming | $77,820 | $83,956 | 290 |
| 5Connecticut | $71,890 | $69,385 | 30 |
| 6Montana | $71,770 | $75,831 | 50 |
| 7Michigan | $69,540 | $72,274 | 40 |
| 8Alabama | $66,890 | $75,307 | 100 |
| 9Virginia | $66,500 | $65,774 | 150 |
| 10New Jersey | $64,990 | $59,731 | 310 |
Job outlook
Is Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.3% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | +4.3% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers to change 4.3% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,000 openings are projected each year, 10.2% of the 9,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as pump operators, except wellhead pumpers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)60.9%
- Bachelor's Degree17.6%
- Some College Courses8.5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree4.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 60.9% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 17.6% |
| Some College Courses | 8.5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 8.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 4.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers do?
Tend, control, or operate power-driven, stationary, or portable pumps and manifold systems to transfer gases, oil, other liquids, slurries, or powdered materials to and from various vessels and processes.
Day-to-day tasks
- Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.
- Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.
- Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.
- Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment.
- Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.
- 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.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayConflict situations are rare.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Writing2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Mathematics2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Mathematics | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.9
- Operation and Control3.5
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Instructing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Operation and Control | 3.5 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Instructing | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Facilities management software
- Industrial control software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.7
- Conventional4.5
- Investigative2.3
- Enterprising1.5
- Social1.3
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers
O*NET related occupations
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$77,320median a year
Most earn $46K to $100K
+2.1%High school - Production
Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator, and Gauger
$96,710median a year
Most earn $57K to $116K
−1.9%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
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Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$51,610median a year
Most earn $36K to $80K
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$60,020median a year
Most earn $39K to $91K
−5.7%High school
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with pump operators, except wellhead pumpers highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers$61,770
- Truck Driver$58,640
- Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector$49,690
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilot | $232,140 |
| Commercial Pilot | $123,220 |
| Locomotive Engineer | $81,410 |
| Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster | $78,000 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers | $61,770 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers appears on
Questions
Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers: frequently asked questions
How much do Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers make?
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers earn a median of $61,770 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 21% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $29.70/hr. The middle half earn between $47,560 and $77,210. The top 10% earn $91,820 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 60.9% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.3% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers do?
Tend, control, or operate power-driven, stationary, or portable pumps and manifold systems to transfer gases, oil, other liquids, slurries, or powdered materials to and from various vessels and processes. A core O*NET task: read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers the most?
The highest state medians for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers are Illinois ($92,310), North Dakota ($81,400), Alaska ($80,210) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Pump Operator, Except Wellhead Pumpers?
O*NET scores Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.