Wellhead Pumpers earn a median of $69,960 per year ($33.63/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 2.0% through 2035, with about 1,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 53-7073
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Wellhead Pumper in four numbers
- Median pay
- $69,960a year, or $33.63/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $44KTop 10% $98K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -2.0%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−2%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −2% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,70018,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.4K
- Projected 203518K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.4K Projected 2035 18K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school1.3%
- High school80.5%
- Certificate10.9%
- Associate's7.4%
Highest education held by wellhead pumpers Segment Value Less than high school 1.3% High school 80.5% Certificate 10.9% Associate's 7.4%
Also advertised as: Field Operator, Lease Attendant, Lease Operator, Oilfield Plant Operator, Pumper, Well Field Technician.
Pay
How much do Wellhead Pumpers make?
Every wellhead pumper in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$69,960
Middle half earn $52,330 to $82,200
- 10th
- $44,100
- 25th
- $52,330
- 75th
- $82,200
- 90th
- $98,170
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $44,100 |
| 25th | $52,330 |
| Median | $69,960 |
| 75th | $82,200 |
| 90th | $98,170 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $69,960
- Median hourly wage
- $33.63/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $70,370
- People employed
- 17,990
Versus all US occupations
At $69,960, Wellhead Pumpers earn 37% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $18,980 a year.
Versus transportation and material moving occupations
Inside the Transportation and Material Moving group, where the middle occupation pays $62,840, this is 11% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $98,170 or more while the bottom 10% earn $44,100, a gap of 2.2×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 45% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
North Dakota pays the most at $79,820, and still leads at $89,727 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1North Dakota | $79,820 | $89,727 | 1,540 |
| 2New Mexico | $78,010 | $84,599 | 1,060 |
| 3Louisiana | $76,930 | $87,215 | 110 |
| 4Texas | $75,860 | $78,160 | 10,250 |
| 5Colorado | $72,700 | $70,547 | 370 |
| 6Arkansas | $64,650 | $74,364 | 90 |
| 7California | $64,430 | $58,192 | 160 |
| 8Mississippi | $62,560 | $71,947 | 80 |
| 9Kansas | $62,400 | $69,281 | 620 |
| 10Oklahoma | $61,380 | $69,875 | 770 |
Job outlook
Is Wellhead Pumper a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -2.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Wellhead Pumpers | −2% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Wellhead Pumpers to change -2.0% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 400 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,700 openings are projected each year, 9.2% of the 18,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Wellhead Pumper
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 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 wellhead pumpers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)80.5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate10.9%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree7.4%
- Less than a High School Diploma1.3%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 80.5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 10.9% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 7.4% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.3% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Wellhead Pumper do?
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.
Day-to-day tasks
- Gauge oil and gas production.
- Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks.
- Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks.
- Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration.
- Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment.
- Repair gas and oil meters and gauges.
- Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
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 dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
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 Thinking3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Active Listening2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Writing2.6
- Active Learning2.4
- Mathematics2.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Writing | 2.6 |
| Active Learning | 2.4 |
| Mathematics | 2.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring4.0
- Operation and Control3.9
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Repairing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Time Management2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Repairing | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query 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 Wellhead Pumper?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Wellhead Pumper |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| 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.
- Realistic6.9
- Conventional4.3
- Investigative2.3
- Enterprising1.8
- Social1.1
- 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 Wellhead Pumper
O*NET related occupations
- 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
- Production
- Construction and Extraction
Rotary Drill Operator, Oil and Gas
$67,890median a year
Most earn $47K to $102K
+0.8%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
- Transportation and Material Moving
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operator
$77,320median a year
Most earn $46K to $100K
+2.1%High school
More transportation and material moving careers
Median annual pay, with wellhead pumpers highlighted
- Airline Pilot$232,140
- Commercial Pilot$123,220
- Locomotive Engineer$81,410
- Railroad Conductor and Yardmaster$78,000
- Wellhead Pumper$69,960
- Crane and Tower Operator$68,080
- Flight Attendant$63,580
- 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 |
| Wellhead Pumper | $69,960 |
| Crane and Tower Operator | $68,080 |
| Flight Attendant | $63,580 |
| Truck Driver | $58,640 |
| Refuse and Recyclable Material Collector | $49,690 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Wellhead Pumper appears on
Questions
Wellhead Pumper: frequently asked questions
How much do Wellhead Pumpers make?
Wellhead Pumpers earn a median of $69,960 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 37% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $33.63/hr. The middle half earn between $52,330 and $82,200. The top 10% earn $98,170 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Wellhead Pumper?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Wellhead Pumpers. 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, 80.5% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Wellhead Pumper a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 2.0% over 2025–2035, a loss of 400 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Wellhead Pumper do?
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field. A core O*NET task: gauge oil and gas production. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Wellhead Pumpers the most?
The highest state medians for Wellhead Pumpers are North Dakota ($79,820), New Mexico ($78,010), Louisiana ($76,930) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Wellhead Pumper?
O*NET scores 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.