Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (SOC 51-8093) earn a median $96,710 a year ($46.50 an hour) in the United States, with 33,160 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers do
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers control the units that refine or move crude oil and its products. Refinery operators run refining or processing units from control panels, regulating temperature, pressure, and flow rate to follow the process plan. Pump system operators handle manifolds and pumping stations that send oil through pipelines and into and out of storage tanks, and gaugers measure and test the oil held in tanks. Throughout, they scan instruments, gauges, and meters for signs of trouble, check that incoming and outgoing product is moving through the right meters and that the meters work, and communicate by radio or telephone with outside workers who open valves, start pumps, and check temperatures. They make minor repairs or report faulty equipment so repairs can be scheduled. Operators patrol the units to watch oil levels in storage tanks and to confirm safe, efficient operation within regulations, and they plan the movement of products through the lines to processing, storage, and shipping units. Chemical process operators work in a separate occupation with similar control-room skills.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Absorption Plant Operator, Board Operator, Control Board Operator, Control Operator, Control Panel Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $27.46 | $37.27 | $46.50 | $51.12 | $55.71 | $43.57 | 33,160 |
| Annual | $57,110 | $77,510 | $96,710 | $106,320 | $115,880 | $90,630 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $40.23 | $51.34 | $59.87 | $80.71 | $80.71 | $62.49 | 370 | 1.13 | 5.30 |
| Annual | $83,680 | $106,780 | $124,530 | $167,880 | $167,880 | $129,970 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $20.27 | $40.44 | $51.27 | $52.12 | $53.40 | $45.04 | 3,490 | 1.80 | 8.45 |
| Annual | $42,160 | $84,110 | $106,640 | $108,420 | $111,060 | $93,680 | ||||
| Utah | Hourly | $31.32 | $40.04 | $50.95 | $50.99 | $52.59 | $46.39 | 600 | 0.34 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $65,140 | $83,280 | $105,980 | $106,050 | $109,390 | $96,490 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $35.50 | $41.03 | $50.55 | $51.69 | $51.70 | $45.90 | 800 | 0.14 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $73,840 | $85,350 | $105,150 | $107,520 | $107,530 | $95,470 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $38.43 | $50.21 | $50.26 | $50.26 | $59.04 | $49.63 | 420 | 0.10 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $79,930 | $104,440 | $104,540 | $104,540 | $122,800 | $103,240 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.96 | $36.16 | $40.43 | $48.29 | $52.24 | $40.55 | 10,510 | 0.75 | 3.50 |
| Annual | $45,670 | $75,210 | $84,100 | $100,440 | $108,650 | $84,350 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $20.27 | $40.44 | $51.27 | $52.12 | $53.40 | $45.04 | 3,490 | 1.80 | 8.45 |
| Annual | $42,160 | $84,110 | $106,640 | $108,420 | $111,060 | $93,680 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $35.06 | $46.54 | $49.64 | $57.31 | $61.94 | $50.27 | 3,360 | 0.18 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $72,930 | $96,810 | $103,250 | $119,200 | $128,840 | $104,560 | ||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $35.78 | $38.75 | $45.74 | $51.52 | $51.52 | $45.06 | 1,390 | 0.82 | 3.82 |
| Annual | $74,420 | $80,600 | $95,140 | $107,170 | $107,170 | $93,730 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $45.05 | $48.71 | $49.47 | $53.54 | $53.55 | $49.56 | 1,070 | 0.18 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $93,690 | $101,310 | $102,890 | $111,370 | $111,380 | $103,080 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $46.54 | $56.34 | $56.57 | $57.31 | $72.00 | $55.20 | 870 | 0.37 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $96,800 | $117,180 | $117,660 | $119,200 | $149,760 | $114,810 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $30.25 | $46.32 | $53.54 | $53.55 | $53.55 | $48.43 | 620 | 0.14 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $62,920 | $96,350 | $111,370 | $111,380 | $111,380 | $100,730 | ||||
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | Hourly | $35.14 | $41.50 | $52.59 | $52.59 | $52.59 | $47.87 | 120 | 0.14 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $73,090 | $86,310 | $109,390 | $109,390 | $109,390 | $99,560 | ||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $17.69 | $40.34 | $52.12 | $52.12 | $52.12 | $44.98 | 660 | 1.61 | 7.54 |
| Annual | $36,800 | $83,910 | $108,420 | $108,420 | $108,420 | $93,550 | ||||
| Toledo, OH | Hourly | $39.35 | $51.69 | $51.69 | $51.70 | $51.70 | $49.98 | 320 | 1.09 | 5.12 |
| Annual | $81,850 | $107,520 | $107,520 | $107,530 | $107,530 | $103,950 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $21.96 | $37.29 | $40.43 | $47.17 | $54.98 | $40.81 | 5,510 | 1.67 | 7.85 |
| Annual | $45,670 | $77,560 | $84,100 | $98,100 | $114,350 | $84,880 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $39.90 | $49.49 | $49.64 | $61.58 | $61.94 | $51.42 | 1,700 | 0.27 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $83,000 | $102,940 | $103,250 | $128,090 | $128,840 | $106,940 | ||||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | Hourly | $25.61 | $44.06 | $51.68 | $53.40 | $53.54 | $46.71 | 1,560 | 3.51 | 16.46 |
| Annual | $53,280 | $91,640 | $107,490 | $111,060 | $111,370 | $97,150 | ||||
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | Hourly | $38.23 | $42.18 | $48.40 | $50.90 | $55.71 | $46.46 | 1,480 | 9.07 | 42.53 |
| Annual | $79,510 | $87,730 | $100,660 | $105,880 | $115,880 | $96,630 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $46.54 | $56.34 | $56.57 | $57.31 | $72.00 | $55.20 | 870 | 0.37 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $96,800 | $117,180 | $117,660 | $119,200 | $149,760 | $114,810 | ||||
Top industries employing petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing employ 56.5% of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers nationally (18,720 jobs) at a median $103,160 a year ($49.59 an hour), followed by Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) (9.2%) and Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas (8.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing NAICS 324100 | 18,720 | 56.5% | $103,160 | $49.59 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) NAICS 4240A3 | 3,060 | 9.2% | $50,510 | $24.29 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas NAICS 486200 | 2,890 | 8.7% | $95,560 | $45.94 |
| Other Pipeline Transportation NAICS 486900 | 1,980 | 6.0% | $95,760 | $46.04 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil NAICS 486100 | 1,430 | 4.3% | $91,410 | $43.95 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (33,160). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $79,540 for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in May 2021 and $96,710 in May 2025, with employment of 34,230 and 33,160.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $79,540 | $38.24 | 34,230 |
| May 2022 | $85,090 | $40.91 | 31,360 |
| May 2023 | $94,580 | $45.47 | 33,360 |
| May 2024 | $97,540 | $46.90 | 34,860 |
| May 2025 | $96,710 | $46.50 | 33,160 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
42 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska profile | $59.87 | $124,530 | $83,680 | $167,880 | 370 | 1.13 | 5.30 |
| 2 | Louisiana profile | $51.27 | $106,640 | $42,160 | $111,060 | 3,490 | 1.80 | 8.45 |
| 3 | Utah profile | $50.95 | $105,980 | $65,140 | $109,390 | 600 | 0.34 | 1.61 |
| 4 | Ohio profile | $50.55 | $105,150 | $73,840 | $107,530 | 800 | 0.14 | 0.68 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $50.26 | $104,540 | $79,930 | $122,800 | 420 | 0.10 | 0.46 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $49.82 | $103,620 | $76,950 | $114,980 | 930 | 0.26 | 1.23 |
| 7 | California profile | $49.64 | $103,250 | $72,930 | $128,840 | 3,360 | 0.18 | 0.86 |
| 8 | Illinois profile | $49.47 | $102,890 | $93,690 | $111,380 | 1,070 | 0.18 | 0.82 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | $49.00 | $101,910 | $70,770 | $128,670 | 550 | 0.19 | 0.87 |
| 10 | Kansas profile | $48.98 | $101,880 | $79,250 | $109,260 | 950 | 0.66 | 3.09 |
| 11 | Wyoming profile | $48.25 | $100,350 | $69,320 | $114,040 | 560 | 1.98 | 9.30 |
| 12 | Montana profile | $47.26 | $98,310 | $75,760 | $108,160 | 550 | 1.07 | 5.04 |
| 13 | Tennessee profile | $46.50 | $96,730 | $65,380 | $105,050 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.24 |
| 14 | Oklahoma profile | $45.74 | $95,140 | $74,420 | $107,170 | 1,390 | 0.82 | 3.82 |
| 15 | Hawaii profile | $45.63 | $94,900 | $71,240 | $130,310 | 280 | 0.45 | 2.10 |
| 16 | Colorado profile | $45.07 | $93,750 | $62,620 | $104,590 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.20 |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | $44.77 | $93,130 | $66,580 | $118,280 | 950 | 2.22 | 10.42 |
| 18 | Iowa profile | $43.34 | $90,160 | $61,400 | $99,760 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.22 |
| 19 | New York profile | $42.73 | $88,880 | $60,850 | $105,080 | 70 | 0.01 | 0.03 |
| 20 | Arkansas profile | $41.63 | $86,580 | $56,580 | $96,770 | 220 | 0.17 | 0.80 |
| 21 | Texas profile | $40.43 | $84,100 | $45,670 | $108,650 | 10,510 | 0.75 | 3.50 |
| 22 | Michigan profile | $40.40 | $84,030 | $57,450 | $101,820 | 180 | 0.04 | 0.19 |
| 23 | West Virginia profile | $40.34 | $83,910 | $72,430 | $97,400 | 330 | 0.47 | 2.22 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania profile | $40.32 | $83,870 | $61,670 | $105,580 | 820 | 0.14 | 0.63 |
| 25 | Missouri profile | $38.92 | $80,960 | $59,860 | $118,760 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.17 |
| 26 | North Carolina profile | $38.49 | $80,060 | $60,250 | $98,940 | 130 | 0.03 | 0.12 |
| 27 | Kentucky profile | $37.82 | $78,670 | $50,540 | $106,810 | 520 | 0.26 | 1.21 |
| 28 | Maryland profile | $37.78 | $78,580 | $48,280 | $101,800 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.16 |
| 29 | Mississippi profile | $36.15 | $75,180 | $66,190 | $98,100 | 860 | 0.74 | 3.48 |
| 30 | New Mexico profile | $35.74 | $74,340 | $48,380 | $104,790 | 420 | 0.48 | 2.25 |
| 31 | Alabama profile | $35.34 | $73,510 | $43,950 | $93,240 | 90 | 0.04 | 0.20 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | $34.35 | $71,450 | $64,560 | $103,060 | ** | ** | ** |
| 33 | New Hampshire profile | $33.68 | $70,050 | $56,800 | $82,930 | 120 | 0.17 | 0.82 |
| 34 | Indiana profile | $32.41 | $67,420 | $44,260 | $104,020 | 520 | 0.16 | 0.76 |
| 35 | Maine profile | $31.32 | $65,150 | $43,470 | $92,810 | 60 | 0.10 | 0.45 |
| 36 | Florida profile | $30.52 | $63,480 | $49,920 | $97,000 | 170 | 0.02 | 0.08 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $30.01 | $62,420 | $50,110 | $78,560 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.10 |
| 38 | Arizona profile | $28.88 | $60,070 | $38,520 | $106,360 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.26 |
| 39 | Virginia profile | $28.35 | $58,970 | $40,300 | $103,390 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.28 |
| 40 | South Carolina profile | $27.96 | $58,160 | $24,880 | $96,140 | 70 | 0.03 | 0.14 |
| 41 | Georgia profile | $27.49 | $57,180 | $42,720 | $98,120 | 240 | 0.05 | 0.23 |
| 42 | Connecticut profile | $27.35 | $56,880 | $46,070 | $100,340 | ** | ** | ** |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-8090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-8093 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-8093, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-8093.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.