Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Alaska$129,970
- California$104,560
- Minnesota$103,380
- New Jersey$103,240
- Illinois$103,080
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- South Carolina$61,830
- Georgia$62,790
- Connecticut$65,190
- Virginia$65,530
- Nevada$66,960
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $129,970 | $124,530 | $62 | +43.4% | 370 |
| 2 | California | $104,560 | $103,250 | $50 | +15.4% | 3,360 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $103,380 | $101,910 | $50 | +14.1% | 550 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $103,240 | $104,540 | $50 | +13.9% | 420 |
| 5 | Illinois | $103,080 | $102,890 | $50 | +13.7% | 1,070 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $98,740 | $100,350 | $47 | +8.9% | 560 |
| 7 | Kansas | $98,160 | $101,880 | $47 | +8.3% | 950 |
| 8 | Washington | $97,810 | $103,620 | $47 | +7.9% | 930 |
| 9 | Utah | $96,490 | $105,980 | $46 | +6.5% | 600 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $95,490 | $94,900 | $46 | +5.4% | 280 |
| 11 | Ohio | $95,470 | $105,150 | $46 | +5.3% | 800 |
| 12 | Montana | $94,310 | $98,310 | $45 | +4.1% | 550 |
| 13 | Oklahoma | $93,730 | $95,140 | $45 | +3.4% | 1,390 |
| 14 | Louisiana | $93,680 | $106,640 | $45 | +3.4% | 3,490 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $91,690 | $93,130 | $44 | +1.2% | 950 |
| 16 | Tennessee | $88,920 | $96,730 | $43 | -1.9% | 170 |
| 17 | Colorado | $88,890 | $93,750 | $43 | -1.9% | 120 |
| 18 | Iowa | $87,020 | $90,160 | $42 | -4% | 70 |
| 19 | New York | $86,200 | $88,880 | $41 | -4.9% | 70 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $85,280 | $83,910 | $41 | -5.9% | 330 |
| 21 | Missouri | $85,070 | $80,960 | $41 | -6.1% | 100 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $84,720 | $83,870 | $41 | -6.5% | 820 |
| 23 | Texas | $84,350 | $84,100 | $41 | -6.9% | 10,510 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $82,740 | $78,670 | $40 | -8.7% | 520 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $81,520 | $80,060 | $39 | -10.1% | 130 |
| 26 | Michigan | $81,490 | $84,030 | $39 | -10.1% | 180 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $81,220 | $75,180 | $39 | -10.4% | 860 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $80,510 | $71,450 | $39 | -11.2% | — |
| 29 | Arkansas | $80,110 | $86,580 | $39 | -11.6% | 220 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $79,270 | $74,340 | $38 | -12.5% | 420 |
| 31 | Maryland | $78,090 | $78,580 | $38 | -13.8% | 90 |
| 32 | Indiana | $73,680 | $67,420 | $35 | -18.7% | 520 |
| 33 | Maine | $70,950 | $65,150 | $34 | -21.7% | 60 |
| 34 | Alabama | $70,520 | $73,510 | $34 | -22.2% | 90 |
| 35 | New Hampshire | $70,270 | $70,050 | $34 | -22.5% | 120 |
| 36 | Arizona | $67,850 | $60,070 | $33 | -25.1% | 180 |
| 37 | Florida | $67,740 | $63,480 | $33 | -25.3% | 170 |
| 38 | Nevada | $66,960 | $62,420 | $32 | -26.1% | 30 |
| 39 | Virginia | $65,530 | $58,970 | $32 | -27.7% | 250 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $65,190 | $56,880 | $31 | -28.1% | — |
| 41 | Georgia | $62,790 | $57,180 | $30 | -30.7% | 240 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $61,830 | $58,160 | $30 | -31.8% | 70 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 73 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $117,660 | $114,810 | 870 |
| 2 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $114,040 | $106,450 | 270 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $111,370 | $100,730 | 620 |
| 4 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $109,390 | $99,560 | 120 |
| 5 | Baton Rouge, LA | $108,420 | $93,550 | 660 |
| 6 | Toledo, OH | $107,520 | $103,950 | 320 |
| 7 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $107,490 | $97,150 | 1,560 |
| 8 | Wichita, KS | $107,260 | $97,950 | 370 |
| 9 | Tulsa, OK | $107,170 | $102,170 | 570 |
| 10 | Ogden, UT | $105,980 | $98,330 | 430 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $104,590 | $100,040 | — |
| 2 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $103,160 | $97,660 | 18,720 |
| 3 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $103,160 | $97,660 | 18,720 |
| 4 | Sectors 31, 32, and 33 - Manufacturing | $102,890 | $97,070 | 19,790 |
| 5 | Utilities | $101,140 | $95,020 | 220 |
| 6 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $101,140 | $95,020 | 220 |
| 7 | Natural Gas Distribution | $101,130 | $94,190 | 190 |
| 8 | Chemical Manufacturing | $97,780 | $89,050 | 950 |
| 9 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $97,780 | $89,050 | 950 |
| 10 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $97,110 | $91,010 | 32,540 |
| 11 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $96,710 | $90,630 | 33,160 |
| 12 | Other Pipeline Transportation | $95,760 | $91,700 | 1,980 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in the U.S.?
The median petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary in the United States is $96,710 per year (mean $90,630), and about 80% earn between $57,110 and $115,880.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make per hour?
Roughly $44 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $90,630 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers at $129,970 per year (median $124,530).
What is the job outlook for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Employment is projected to change -2.8% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 3,200 openings per year.