Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: Career Overview
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.
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What Tasks Do Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Take On?
Typical responsibilities of pump operators, except wellhead pumpers span:
- 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.
- Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times.
- Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of interconnections and capacities of pipelines, valve manifolds, pumps, and tankage.
- Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.
- Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.
- Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.
- 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.
- Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful pump operators, except wellhead pumpers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Acid Loader
- Acid Pump Operator
- Airveyor Operator
- Boom Pump Operator
- Booster Station Operator
- Brewery Pumper
- Caustic Pump Operator
- Chemical Pumper
Job Outlook
There are about 534,844 pump operators, except wellhead pumpers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -0.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $27,190 |
| Hourly median | $13.07 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $32,673 |
| 90th percentile | $38,156 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $84,590 |
| Washington | $84,010 |
| New Jersey | $81,900 |
| Arizona | $81,430 |
| Ohio | $81,110 |
| Colorado | $79,140 |
| Wyoming | $78,810 |
| North Dakota | $75,960 |
| Utah | $73,840 |
| Alaska | $72,990 |
| Montana | $71,550 |
| Virginia | $65,720 |
| Minnesota | $61,630 |
| Mississippi | $61,250 |
| Wisconsin | $61,040 |
| Louisiana | $60,840 |
| Indiana | $60,680 |
| Florida | $60,370 |
| Idaho | $60,130 |
| Texas | $58,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,800 |
| Oregon | $55,760 |
| West Virginia | $55,380 |
| Oklahoma | $54,500 |
| New York | $54,280 |
| Tennessee | $52,150 |
| Alabama | $51,560 |
| New Mexico | $51,380 |
| California | $51,350 |
| Nevada | $45,710 |
| Kansas | $44,130 |
| North Carolina | $43,390 |
| Kentucky | $43,130 |
| Missouri | $41,780 |
| Puerto Rico | $40,790 |
| Georgia | $36,520 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $76,742 | 2.4% | 0.25 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,308 | 5.1% | 4.92 |
| Plains States | $72,995 | 2.5% | 5.43 |
| Middle Atlantic | $65,471 | 6.8% | 0.64 |
| Southeast | $58,410 | 26.7% | 5.14 |
| Southwest | $58,398 | 38.6% | 3.66 |
| Far Western US | $54,466 | 17.0% | 1.68 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $40,790 | 0.9% | 1.48 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $83,770 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $80,560 | 290 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | TX | $80,100 | 110 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $77,390 | 110 |
| Longview, TX | TX | $77,190 | 40 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | LA | $76,460 | 60 |
| Monroe, LA | LA | $73,370 | 50 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | TX | $72,630 | 70 |
Which Industries Hire Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
Most pump operators, except wellhead pumpers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 3,300 | $59,570 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 2,610 | $60,270 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,520 | $77,180 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,370 | $48,910 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 870 | $48,240 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 500 | $53,440 |
| Manufacturing | 490 | $62,250 |
| Retail Trade | 190 | $47,500 |
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Contaminants
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How to Become Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
Typical pump operators, except wellhead pumpers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
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Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-7072.00 (Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers).
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