Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas earn a median of $58,160 per year ($27.96/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 1.1% through 2035, with about 3,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
- SOC 47-5013
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas in four numbers
- Median pay
- $58,160a year, or $27.96/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $98K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +1.1%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+1.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +1.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 3,80043,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202543.8K
- Projected 203544.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 43.8K Projected 2035 44.3K - Typical education
- No formal credentialneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school37%
- High school63%
Highest education held by service unit operators, oil and gas Segment Value Less than high school 37% High school 63%
Also advertised as: Pulling Unit Operator, Reverse Unit Operator, Rig Operator, Service Operator, Service Rig Operator, Tool Pusher.
Pay
How much do Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas make?
Every service unit operator, oil and gas in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$58,160
Middle half earn $47,480 to $73,230
- 10th
- $38,940
- 25th
- $47,480
- 75th
- $73,230
- 90th
- $97,560
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,940 |
| 25th | $47,480 |
| Median | $58,160 |
| 75th | $73,230 |
| 90th | $97,560 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $58,160
- Median hourly wage
- $27.96/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $62,470
- People employed
- 43,140
Versus all US occupations
At $58,160, Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas earn 14% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,180 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 3% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $97,560 or more while the bottom 10% earn $38,940, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 30% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Alaska pays the most at $106,480, and still leads at $104,026 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Alaska | $106,480 | $104,026 | 1,090 |
| 2Missouri | $90,580 | $99,739 | 80 |
| 3Montana | $77,750 | $82,149 | 310 |
| 4New Mexico | $64,990 | $70,479 | 2,600 |
| 5Nebraska | $62,990 | $69,909 | 30 |
| 6California | $62,580 | $56,521 | 2,820 |
| 7Wyoming | $62,560 | $67,493 | 820 |
| 8Florida | $62,050 | $60,002 | 200 |
| 9Ohio | $61,260 | $66,031 | 930 |
| 10North Dakota | $60,810 | $68,357 | 3,000 |
Job outlook
Is Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +1.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | +1.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas to change 1.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 500 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 3,800 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 43,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of oil and gas workers is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035.
Despite limited employment growth, about 9,900 openings for oil and gas workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Domestic oil and gas production is expected to support employment of these workers. In addition to many domestic uses, international demand for oil and gas products is expected to create more opportunities for U.S. producers to export their products abroad.
Getting in
How to become a Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas
Oil and gas workers typically do not need formal education to enter these occupations, but some employers require or prefer that candidates have a high school diploma or the equivalent. Many require work experience in a related occupation. Oil and gas workers learn on the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
No formal educational credential
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 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 service unit operators, oil and gas.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)63%
- Less than a High School Diploma37%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 63% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 37% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas do?
Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Includes fishing-tool technicians.
Oil and gas workers assemble, operate, and maintain equipment used for oil and gas exploration, extraction, and related activities.
Day-to-day tasks
- Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
- Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
- Close and seal wells no longer in use.
- 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.
- Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.
- Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.
- Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most oil and gas workers are full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Work schedules vary, depending on the job. Some crews, such as those on offshore oil rigs or in remote areas, may spend weeks away from home and work long shifts 7 days a week. Periods of working nonstandard schedules may be followed by periods of time off.
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 timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. 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
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Active Listening3.4
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Writing3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Active Listening | 3.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring4.0
- Operation and Control3.8
- Troubleshooting3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Repairing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Repairing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Document management software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Facilities management software
- Industrial control software
- Inventory management software
- Time accounting 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 Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
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.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.1
- Investigative2.6
- Enterprising1.8
- Social1.2
- 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 Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas
O*NET related occupations
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$67,890median a year
Most earn $47K to $102K
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More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with service unit operators, oil and gas highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas$58,160
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas | $58,160 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas appears on
Questions
Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas: frequently asked questions
How much do Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas make?
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas earn a median of $58,160 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 14% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.96/hr. The middle half earn between $47,480 and $73,230. The top 10% earn $97,560 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 63.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.1% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 3,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas do?
Oil and gas workers assemble, operate, and maintain equipment used for oil and gas exploration, extraction, and related activities. A core O*NET task: maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools. Employers most often ask for Document management software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas the most?
The highest state medians for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas are Alaska ($106,480), Missouri ($90,580), Montana ($77,750) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas?
O*NET scores Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas 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.