Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers in the U.S. is $61,770 ($29.70 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $61,770
- Mean annual wage
- $63,960
- Median hourly wage
- $29.70
- Employment
- 9,780
9,780 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,420 | $18.95 |
| 25th percentile | $47,560 | $22.86 |
| Median (50th) | $61,770 | $29.70 |
| 75th percentile | $77,210 | $37.12 |
| 90th percentile | $91,820 | $44.14 |
Highest-paying states for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $92,310 | 50 |
| North Dakota | $81,400 | 70 |
| Alaska | $80,210 | 120 |
| Wyoming | $77,820 | 290 |
| Connecticut | $71,890 | 30 |
| Montana | $71,770 | 50 |
| Michigan | $69,540 | 40 |
| Alabama | $66,890 | 100 |
| Virginia | $66,500 | 150 |
| New Jersey | $64,990 | 310 |
Lowest-paying states
- Missouri: $44,650 median annual wage
- North Carolina: $45,890 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $46,170 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $46,600 median annual wage
- Colorado: $46,680 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.
- Pump two or more materials into one tank to blend mixtures.
- Tend vessels that store substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials, checking levels of substances by using calibrated rods or by reading mercury gauges and tank charts.
- Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.
- Add chemicals and solutions to tanks to ensure that specifications are met.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 11.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 50.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 24.4% |
| Associate's degree | 5.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 7.2% |
| Master's degree | 0.9% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Driver/Sales Workers$38,770
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.