Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for service unit operators, oil and gass 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$112,650
- Missouri$86,280
- Montana$77,060
- New Mexico$71,680
- Colorado$68,980
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $112,650 | $106,480 | $54 | +80.3% | 1,090 |
| 2 | Missouri | $86,280 | $90,580 | $41 | +38.1% | 80 |
| 3 | Montana | $77,060 | $77,750 | $37 | +23.4% | 310 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $71,680 | $64,990 | $34 | +14.7% | 2,600 |
| 5 | Colorado | $68,980 | $60,290 | $33 | +10.4% | 2,930 |
| 6 | California | $68,290 | $62,580 | $33 | +9.3% | 2,820 |
| 7 | Ohio | $68,110 | $61,260 | $33 | +9% | 930 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $67,820 | $62,560 | $33 | +8.6% | 820 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $64,310 | $60,810 | $31 | +2.9% | 3,000 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $61,790 | $56,680 | $30 | -1.1% | 2,980 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $61,570 | $60,760 | $30 | -1.4% | 3,130 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $61,450 | $62,990 | $30 | -1.6% | 30 |
| 13 | Florida | $60,640 | $62,050 | $29 | -2.9% | 200 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $59,870 | $56,250 | $29 | -4.2% | 580 |
| 15 | Utah | $58,990 | $56,290 | $28 | -5.6% | 1,060 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $58,770 | $49,610 | $28 | -5.9% | 250 |
| 17 | Michigan | $58,240 | $52,000 | $28 | -6.8% | 230 |
| 18 | Texas | $56,620 | $49,820 | $27 | -9.4% | 16,820 |
| 19 | Alabama | $55,900 | $49,490 | $27 | -10.5% | 170 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $55,050 | $54,780 | $26 | -11.9% | 1,520 |
| 21 | Indiana | $53,880 | $56,980 | $26 | -13.8% | — |
| 22 | South Dakota | $51,430 | $49,920 | $25 | -17.7% | 40 |
| 23 | Illinois | $50,090 | $41,680 | $24 | -19.8% | 220 |
| 24 | Kansas | $49,820 | $46,230 | $24 | -20.2% | 370 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $48,770 | $48,120 | $23 | -21.9% | 220 |
| 26 | New York | $47,310 | $45,750 | $23 | -24.3% | 100 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $43,430 | $28,280 | $21 | -30.5% | 210 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 77 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $111,820 | $114,020 | 980 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $95,370 | $99,780 | 100 |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $91,890 | $88,190 | 40 |
| 4 | Cheyenne, WY | $81,590 | $72,690 | 50 |
| 5 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $78,120 | $79,780 | 60 |
| 6 | East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $77,430 | $73,380 | 190 |
| 7 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $76,980 | $76,180 | 280 |
| 8 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $66,820 | $73,120 | 70 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $66,550 | $69,420 | 90 |
| 10 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $66,220 | $77,200 | 1,060 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing service unit operators, oil and gass (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | $97,540 | $92,860 | 820 |
| 2 | Pipeline Transportation | $96,870 | $90,720 | 1,020 |
| 3 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $96,380 | $89,530 | 1,060 |
| 4 | Utilities | $88,890 | $86,850 | 620 |
| 5 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $88,890 | $86,850 | 620 |
| 6 | Natural Gas Distribution | $88,180 | $86,770 | 620 |
| 7 | Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | $86,360 | $82,790 | 190 |
| 8 | Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $70,450 | $68,270 | 240 |
| 9 | Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $70,450 | $68,270 | 240 |
| 10 | Sector 42 - Wholesale Trade | $69,370 | $68,230 | 240 |
| 11 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $66,080 | $69,630 | 120 |
| 12 | Sector 54 - Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $66,080 | $69,630 | 120 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do service unit operators, oil and gas make in the U.S.?
The median service unit operators, oil and gas salary in the United States is $58,160 per year (mean $62,470), and about 80% earn between $38,940 and $97,560.
How much do service unit operators, oil and gas make per hour?
Roughly $30 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $62,470 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays service unit operators, oil and gas the most?
Alaska has the highest average pay for service unit operators, oil and gas at $112,650 per year (median $106,480).
What is the job outlook for service unit operators, oil and gas?
Employment is projected to change +0.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 4,100 openings per year.