Wellhead Pumpers
Wellhead Pumpers (SOC 53-7073) earn a median $69,960 a year ($33.63 an hour) in the United States, with 17,990 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is North Dakota.
What wellhead pumpers do
Wellhead pumpers operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to bring oil or gas out of wells in an oil field. The pumper looks at pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks, gauges how much oil and gas is produced, and watches control panels to confirm that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration. Operating schedules direct the pumper to shut wells on and off with engines and pumps and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks. Starting compressor engines and diverting oil to compressor units to recover natural gas from the oil is another task. Pumpers also repair gas and oil meters and gauges. Alternate titles include lease operator, field operator, and gas well pumper. Routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment is part of the job. Pump operators who work in plants are classed separately.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have a high school diploma or equivalent.
Also called: Field Operator, Gas Lease Pumper, Gas Well Pumper, Lease Attendant, Lease Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $21.20 | $25.16 | $33.63 | $39.52 | $47.20 | $33.83 | 17,990 |
| Annual | $44,100 | $52,330 | $69,960 | $82,200 | $98,170 | $70,370 | ||
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 wellhead pumpers 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 | ||||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $29.58 | $32.02 | $38.38 | $46.87 | $47.39 | $39.51 | 1,540 | 3.58 | 30.98 |
| Annual | $61,530 | $66,600 | $79,820 | $97,480 | $98,570 | $82,190 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $23.19 | $28.32 | $37.50 | $47.26 | $47.50 | $37.64 | 1,060 | 1.21 | 10.49 |
| Annual | $48,240 | $58,900 | $78,010 | $98,290 | $98,810 | $78,290 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $27.51 | $30.70 | $36.99 | $37.66 | $38.60 | $34.91 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $57,210 | $63,860 | $76,930 | $78,340 | $80,290 | $72,610 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.68 | $28.60 | $36.47 | $40.42 | $46.94 | $35.15 | 10,250 | 0.73 | 6.30 |
| Annual | $45,090 | $59,490 | $75,860 | $84,070 | $97,640 | $73,110 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $24.14 | $29.57 | $34.95 | $38.54 | $45.09 | $34.68 | 370 | 0.13 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $50,220 | $61,510 | $72,700 | $80,170 | $93,790 | $72,130 | ||||
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 | $21.68 | $28.60 | $36.47 | $40.42 | $46.94 | $35.15 | 10,250 | 0.73 | 6.30 |
| Annual | $45,090 | $59,490 | $75,860 | $84,070 | $97,640 | $73,110 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $29.58 | $32.02 | $38.38 | $46.87 | $47.39 | $39.51 | 1,540 | 3.58 | 30.98 |
| Annual | $61,530 | $66,600 | $79,820 | $97,480 | $98,570 | $82,190 | ||||
| New Mexico | Hourly | $23.19 | $28.32 | $37.50 | $47.26 | $47.50 | $37.64 | 1,060 | 1.21 | 10.49 |
| Annual | $48,240 | $58,900 | $78,010 | $98,290 | $98,810 | $78,290 | ||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $22.23 | $24.88 | $29.51 | $34.91 | $36.39 | $29.58 | 770 | 0.45 | 3.90 |
| Annual | $46,230 | $51,760 | $61,380 | $72,620 | $75,690 | $61,520 | ||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $17.74 | $20.97 | $25.08 | $25.80 | $35.87 | $24.62 | 660 | 0.95 | 8.17 |
| Annual | $36,900 | $43,620 | $52,170 | $53,660 | $74,600 | $51,210 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $27.30 | $30.35 | $38.33 | $42.71 | $47.21 | $37.78 | 3,860 | 1.17 | 10.15 |
| Annual | $56,790 | $63,130 | $79,720 | $88,830 | $98,210 | $78,580 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $27.37 | $29.69 | $37.50 | $45.95 | $50.37 | $38.92 | 830 | 0.21 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $56,930 | $61,760 | $78,010 | $95,570 | $104,780 | $80,960 | ||||
| Minot, ND | Hourly | $24.85 | $30.28 | $37.17 | $46.87 | $46.87 | $37.34 | 130 | 3.85 | 33.26 |
| Annual | $51,680 | $62,980 | $77,310 | $97,480 | $97,480 | $77,670 | ||||
| Amarillo, TX | Hourly | $17.63 | $22.92 | $37.09 | $37.60 | $47.62 | $33.93 | 60 | 0.46 | 3.93 |
| Annual | $36,660 | $47,670 | $77,150 | $78,200 | $99,050 | $70,570 | ||||
| Lubbock, TX | Hourly | $21.13 | $28.45 | $36.95 | $39.03 | $47.64 | $34.55 | 200 | 1.22 | 10.50 |
| Annual | $43,960 | $59,180 | $76,850 | $81,190 | $99,090 | $71,870 | ||||
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 | $27.30 | $30.35 | $38.33 | $42.71 | $47.21 | $37.78 | 3,860 | 1.17 | 10.15 |
| Annual | $56,790 | $63,130 | $79,720 | $88,830 | $98,210 | $78,580 | ||||
| Midland, TX | Hourly | $17.35 | $24.50 | $34.67 | $42.95 | $45.81 | $33.23 | 1,660 | 13.60 | 117.60 |
| Annual | $36,090 | $50,960 | $72,110 | $89,340 | $95,270 | $69,110 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $27.37 | $29.69 | $37.50 | $45.95 | $50.37 | $38.92 | 830 | 0.21 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $56,930 | $61,760 | $78,010 | $95,570 | $104,780 | $80,960 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $18.43 | $18.43 | $18.78 | $22.98 | $32.24 | $21.99 | 350 | 0.32 | 2.75 |
| Annual | $38,340 | $38,340 | $39,060 | $47,790 | $67,060 | $45,750 | ||||
| Odessa, TX | Hourly | $17.16 | $27.47 | $36.28 | $40.78 | $48.19 | $34.17 | 330 | 4.14 | 35.79 |
| Annual | $35,700 | $57,140 | $75,450 | $84,830 | $100,240 | $71,070 | ||||
Top industries employing wellhead pumpers
Oil and Gas Extraction employ 67.8% of wellhead pumpers nationally (12,190 jobs) at a median $76,170 a year ($36.62 an hour), followed by Support Activities for Mining (28.8%) and Natural Gas Distribution (0.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil and Gas Extraction NAICS 211100 | 12,190 | 67.8% | $76,170 | $36.62 |
| Support Activities for Mining NAICS 213100 | 5,180 | 28.8% | $60,310 | $28.99 |
| Natural Gas Distribution NAICS 221200 | 50 | 0.3% | $62,760 | $30.17 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas NAICS 486200 | 50 | 0.3% | $96,120 | $46.21 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (17,990). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $63,740 for wellhead pumpers in May 2021 and $69,960 in May 2025, with employment of 16,040 and 17,990.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $63,740 | $30.64 | 16,040 |
| May 2022 | $63,280 | $30.42 | 14,550 |
| May 2023 | $71,830 | $34.53 | 18,230 |
| May 2024 | $70,010 | $33.66 | 17,350 |
| May 2025 | $69,960 | $33.63 | 17,990 |
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
19 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 | North Dakota profile | $38.38 | $79,820 | $61,530 | $98,570 | 1,540 | 3.58 | 30.98 |
| 2 | New Mexico profile | $37.50 | $78,010 | $48,240 | $98,810 | 1,060 | 1.21 | 10.49 |
| 3 | Louisiana profile | $36.99 | $76,930 | $57,210 | $80,290 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.48 |
| 4 | Texas profile | $36.47 | $75,860 | $45,090 | $97,640 | 10,250 | 0.73 | 6.30 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $34.95 | $72,700 | $50,220 | $93,790 | 370 | 0.13 | 1.11 |
| 6 | Arkansas profile | $31.08 | $64,650 | $30,830 | $76,020 | 90 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
| 7 | California profile | $30.98 | $64,430 | $50,180 | $76,330 | 160 | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| 8 | Mississippi profile | $30.08 | $62,560 | $52,600 | $78,470 | 80 | 0.07 | 0.57 |
| 9 | Kansas profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $43,960 | $101,500 | 620 | 0.43 | 3.70 |
| 10 | Oklahoma profile | $29.51 | $61,380 | $46,230 | $75,690 | 770 | 0.45 | 3.90 |
| 11 | Utah profile | $28.83 | $59,970 | $49,660 | $79,040 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.63 |
| 12 | Montana profile | $27.80 | $57,830 | $46,200 | $93,170 | 90 | 0.18 | 1.53 |
| 13 | Wyoming profile | $27.50 | $57,200 | $47,760 | $92,060 | 490 | 1.74 | 15.03 |
| 14 | West Virginia profile | $25.08 | $52,170 | $36,900 | $74,600 | 660 | 0.95 | 8.17 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $24.73 | $51,440 | $36,770 | $63,770 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.34 |
| 16 | New York profile | $23.55 | $48,980 | $39,710 | $69,590 | 50 | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | $22.90 | $47,630 | $43,450 | $83,720 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.41 |
| 18 | Ohio profile | $22.47 | $46,750 | $35,110 | $70,530 | 250 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.87 | $45,490 | $38,340 | $68,810 | 640 | 0.11 | 0.91 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (53-7070), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Transportation and Material Moving 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 53-7073 Wellhead Pumpers.
- 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 53-7073, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7073.00, 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.