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 2019

47-5013 Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas

Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Includes fishing-tool technicians.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
51,760 3.6 % $24.71 $51,390 1.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.35 $17.88 $22.47 $29.08 $37.43
Annual Wage (2) $31,930 $37,190 $46,740 $60,490 $77,850


Industry profile for this occupation:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 38,350 10.98 $23.06 $47,970
Oil and Gas Extraction 6,560 4.64 $30.73 $63,910
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 1,310 0.38 $29.81 $62,000
Natural Gas Distribution 710 0.64 $29.39 $61,120
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 600 0.08 $30.70 $63,860

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 38,350 10.98 $23.06 $47,970
Oil and Gas Extraction 6,560 4.64 $30.73 $63,910
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 270 0.92 $25.79 $53,640
Natural Gas Distribution 710 0.64 $29.39 $61,120
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 1,310 0.38 $29.81 $62,000

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (8) (8) $31.47 $65,450
Oil and Gas Extraction 6,560 4.64 $30.73 $63,910
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 600 0.08 $30.70 $63,860
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying 110 0.11 $30.01 $62,410
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 1,310 0.38 $29.81 $62,000


Geographic profile for this occupation:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 23,210 1.87 5.30 $24.10 $50,120
Pennsylvania 3,890 0.66 1.87 $20.18 $41,970
Oklahoma 3,490 2.16 6.12 $20.41 $42,450
North Dakota 3,060 7.25 20.57 $27.88 $57,990
Colorado 2,970 1.11 3.15 $24.93 $51,850




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 3,060 7.25 20.57 $27.88 $57,990
Wyoming 1,950 7.12 20.21 $25.88 $53,840
New Mexico 2,390 2.90 8.22 $30.72 $63,900
Oklahoma 3,490 2.16 6.12 $20.41 $42,450
Texas 23,210 1.87 5.30 $24.10 $50,120




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New Mexico 2,390 2.90 8.22 $30.72 $63,900
New York 60 0.01 0.02 $30.12 $62,640
Montana 360 0.77 2.19 $29.91 $62,220
Utah 360 0.24 0.68 $29.11 $60,560
Mississippi 200 0.18 0.50 $28.82 $59,940





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 3,290 29.73 84.35 $23.24 $48,350
Odessa, TX 3,160 38.89 110.35 $22.82 $47,470
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 2,280 2.19 6.23 $22.75 $47,320
Pittsburgh, PA 2,140 1.86 5.27 $17.67 $36,760
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,720 0.47 1.33 $22.21 $46,190
Bakersfield, CA 1,450 4.58 13.00 $25.63 $53,310
Greeley, CO 1,390 13.05 37.04 $23.50 $48,880
Oklahoma City, OK 1,300 2.08 5.90 $20.48 $42,600
Lafayette, LA 1,010 5.08 14.41 $26.07 $54,220
Longview, TX 890 9.44 26.79 $21.11 $43,910




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Odessa, TX 3,160 38.89 110.35 $22.82 $47,470
Midland, TX 3,290 29.73 84.35 $23.24 $48,350
Greeley, CO 1,390 13.05 37.04 $23.50 $48,880
Farmington, NM 570 12.08 34.29 $33.83 $70,360
Casper, WY 460 11.87 33.68 $23.68 $49,260
Longview, TX 890 9.44 26.79 $21.11 $43,910
Victoria, TX 250 6.42 18.21 $21.85 $45,450
Williamsport, PA 300 6.03 17.10 $21.59 $44,910
Grand Junction, CO 320 5.12 14.54 $23.59 $49,060
Lafayette, LA 1,010 5.08 14.41 $26.07 $54,220




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Farmington, NM 570 12.08 34.29 $33.83 $70,360
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 430 0.07 0.20 $29.37 $61,090
Anchorage, AK 150 0.84 2.38 $28.36 $58,990
Wheeling, WV-OH 190 2.95 8.38 $28.22 $58,700
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 100 0.29 0.83 $28.10 $58,450
Tyler, TX (8) (8) (8) $27.00 $56,160
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX 170 0.66 1.87 $26.65 $55,440
Cheyenne, WY 100 2.06 5.85 $26.56 $55,230
Wichita, KS (8) (8) (8) $26.36 $54,830
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO (8) (8) (8) $26.30 $54,710

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 3,030 24.09 68.35 $27.84 $57,900
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 2,230 11.06 31.38 $27.76 $57,740
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 1,720 10.52 29.86 $29.64 $61,650
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 910 5.75 16.30 $25.10 $52,210
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 900 5.95 16.88 $24.55 $51,060

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 3,030 24.09 68.35 $27.84 $57,900
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 880 13.52 38.37 $16.06 $33,410
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 2,230 11.06 31.38 $27.76 $57,740
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 1,720 10.52 29.86 $29.64 $61,650
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 860 8.63 24.49 $26.62 $55,370

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 150 1.22 3.46 $34.35 $71,440
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 550 5.05 14.32 $33.87 $70,450
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $33.49 $69,660
West Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.81 2.29 $32.77 $68,150
Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 140 0.92 2.62 $32.13 $66,830


About May 2019 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.

(8) Estimate not released.

(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 OES estimates and related information:

May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020