Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Salary
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations · 9.8K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$61,770
Median hourly
$30
Average annual
$63,960
Typical range
$39,420–$91,820
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is $61,770 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $30 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $39,420 and $91,820 a year. There are roughly 9.8K people employed as pump operators, except wellhead pumpers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers.
- Hourly
- $29.70
- Daily
- $238
- Weekly
- $1,188
- Bi-weekly
- $2,376
- Monthly
- $5,148
- Annual
- $61,770
$61,770 a year is around the 50th percentile for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumperss. The median is $61,770.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Illinois$92,310
- 2North Dakota$81,400
- 3Alaska$80,210
- 4Wyoming$77,820
- 5Connecticut$71,890
- 6Montana$71,770
- 7Michigan$69,540
- 8Alabama$66,890
- 9Virginia$66,500
- 10New Jersey$64,990
- 11Ohio$64,700
- 12Louisiana$64,110
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$82,090
- 2Baton Rouge, LA$79,840
- 3Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$79,010
- 4Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$76,670
- 5Anchorage, AK$75,810
- 6San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$71,780
- 7Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$67,550
- 8Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$66,920
- 9Shreveport-Bossier City, LA$64,220
- 10Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$64,050
- 11New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$63,540
- 12Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$63,480
Related job titles
Employers advertise Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers roles under these titles.
- Acid Loader
- Acid Pump Operator
- Airveyor Operator
- Boom Pump Operator
- Booster Station Operator
- Brewery Pumper
- Caustic Pump Operator
- Chemical Pumper
- Concrete Boom Pump Operator
- Concrete Operator
- Concrete Pump Operator
- Day Light Relief Operator
- Fermenting Cellars Receiver
- Fluid Pump Operator
- Gas Transfer Operator
- Hydrant Systems Operator
Related occupations
- Wellhead Pumpers$69,960
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators$77,320
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$96,710
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,610
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$78,620
- Power Plant Operators$102,040
- Chemical Plant and System Operators$78,120
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders$58,870
What a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers does
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers make?
- The median annual wage for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is $61,770 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $39,420 at the 10th percentile to $91,820 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $63,960, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumperss the most?
- Illinois has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $92,310.
- Is Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 9.8K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers do?
- 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..