Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

51-8093 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

Operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks, or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.


National estimates for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Industry profile for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Geographic profile for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

National estimates for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
31,360 2.2 % $ 40.45 $ 84,140 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 25.44 $ 34.77 $ 40.91 $ 48.01 $ 51.83
Annual Wage (2) $ 52,920 $ 72,320 $ 85,090 $ 99,860 $ 107,810


Industry profile for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 14,390 13.92 $ 43.46 $ 90,390
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 3,070 9.81 $ 38.35 $ 79,760
Oil and Gas Extraction 3,020 2.97 $ 38.84 $ 80,790
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 2,580 23.44 $ 41.43 $ 86,180
Other Pipeline Transportation 2,370 29.44 $ 41.82 $ 86,980

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Pipeline Transportation 2,370 29.44 $ 41.82 $ 86,980
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 2,580 23.44 $ 41.43 $ 86,180
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 14,390 13.92 $ 43.46 $ 90,390
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 3,070 9.81 $ 38.35 $ 79,760
Oil and Gas Extraction 3,020 2.97 $ 38.84 $ 80,790

Top paying industries for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,070 0.04 $ 46.09 $ 95,860
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 14,390 13.92 $ 43.46 $ 90,390
Other Pipeline Transportation 2,370 29.44 $ 41.82 $ 86,980
Natural Gas Distribution 210 0.19 $ 41.81 $ 86,960
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 2,580 23.44 $ 41.43 $ 86,180


Geographic profile for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 8,820 0.68 3.20 $ 37.97 $ 78,990
Louisiana 4,320 2.34 11.02 $ 39.78 $ 82,740
California 3,490 0.20 0.93 $ 46.65 $ 97,030
Oklahoma 2,050 1.28 6.01 $ 40.31 $ 83,850
Kansas 990 0.72 3.38 $ 40.78 $ 84,820


Map of location quotient of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 4,320 2.34 11.02 $ 39.78 $ 82,740
Wyoming 530 1.98 9.33 $ 41.73 $ 86,790
Oklahoma 2,050 1.28 6.01 $ 40.31 $ 83,850
North Dakota 480 1.19 5.59 $ 44.17 $ 91,880
Alaska 330 1.09 5.12 $ 47.96 $ 99,750


Map of annual mean wages of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Illinois 570 0.10 0.46 $ 50.73 $ 105,520
New Jersey 300 0.07 0.34 $ 49.48 $ 102,920
Minnesota 580 0.20 0.96 $ 49.13 $ 102,190
Alaska 330 1.09 5.12 $ 47.96 $ 99,750
California 3,490 0.20 0.93 $ 46.65 $ 97,030



Map of employment of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,430 1.45 6.84 $ 39.83 $ 82,840
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,690 0.28 1.31 $ 46.65 $ 97,040
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 1,440 2.78 13.09 $ 38.60 $ 80,290
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,020 0.43 2.01 $ 52.64 $ 109,500
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 950 6.29 29.66 $ 36.89 $ 76,730
Baton Rouge, LA 880 2.28 10.76 $ 43.27 $ 90,000
Tulsa, OK 650 1.52 7.18 $ 44.57 $ 92,710
Corpus Christi, TX 610 3.37 15.90 $ 36.92 $ 76,800
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 550 0.20 0.94 $ 45.32 $ 94,270
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 500 0.27 1.26 $ 50.50 $ 105,030


Map of location quotient of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 950 6.29 29.66 $ 36.89 $ 76,730
Midland, TX 480 4.53 21.36 $ 38.17 $ 79,400
Billings, MT 370 4.26 20.10 $ 45.97 $ 95,620
Corpus Christi, TX 610 3.37 15.90 $ 36.92 $ 76,800
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 1,440 2.78 13.09 $ 38.60 $ 80,290
Baton Rouge, LA 880 2.28 10.76 $ 43.27 $ 90,000
Shreveport-Bossier City, LA 350 2.10 9.92 $ 36.72 $ 76,390
Odessa, TX 130 1.75 8.24 $ 35.82 $ 74,510
Houma-Thibodaux, LA 130 1.73 8.17 $ 35.39 $ 73,620
Casper, WY 60 1.72 8.13 $ 40.58 $ 84,400


Map of annual mean wages of petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,020 0.43 2.01 $ 52.64 $ 109,500
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 320 0.07 0.34 $ 50.94 $ 105,960
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 500 0.27 1.26 $ 50.50 $ 105,030
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 280 0.03 0.14 $ 49.43 $ 102,820
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 150 1.12 5.26 $ 47.61 $ 99,030
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,690 0.28 1.31 $ 46.65 $ 97,040
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 360 0.23 1.08 $ 46.18 $ 96,060
Billings, MT 370 4.26 20.10 $ 45.97 $ 95,620
Ogden-Clearfield, UT 280 1.01 4.74 $ 45.95 $ 95,570
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 550 0.20 0.94 $ 45.32 $ 94,270

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 580 1.51 7.10 $ 41.25 $ 85,800
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 570 2.93 13.83 $ 35.10 $ 73,010
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 450 4.07 19.17 $ 44.48 $ 92,510
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 440 2.66 12.53 $ 39.78 $ 82,730
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 290 3.05 14.37 $ 37.65 $ 78,310

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 450 4.07 19.17 $ 44.48 $ 92,510
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 290 3.05 14.37 $ 37.65 $ 78,310
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 240 2.95 13.91 $ 41.97 $ 87,300
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 570 2.93 13.83 $ 35.10 $ 73,010
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 440 2.66 12.53 $ 39.78 $ 82,730

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 180 1.79 8.44 $ 50.85 $ 105,760
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 450 4.07 19.17 $ 44.48 $ 92,510
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 260 1.70 8.02 $ 43.62 $ 90,730
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 180 1.88 8.88 $ 42.34 $ 88,060
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 240 2.95 13.91 $ 41.97 $ 87,300


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023