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Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: Job Description
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.
What Do Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Do?
Typical responsibilities of pump operators, except wellhead pumpers include:
- 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top pump operators, except wellhead pumpers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Acid Loader
- Acid Pump Operator
- Airveyor Operator
- Boom Pump Operator
- Booster Station Operator
- Brewery Pumper
- Caustic Pump Operator
- Chemical Pumper
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 534,844 pump operators, except wellhead pumpers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -0.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $27,190 |
| Hourly median | $13.07 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 |
| 75th percentile | $32,673 |
| 90th percentile | $38,156 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Illinois | $84,590 |
| Washington | $84,010 |
| New Jersey | $81,900 |
| Arizona | $81,430 |
| Ohio | $81,110 |
| Colorado | $79,140 |
| Wyoming | $78,810 |
| North Dakota | $75,960 |
| Utah | $73,840 |
| Alaska | $72,990 |
| Montana | $71,550 |
| Virginia | $65,720 |
| Minnesota | $61,630 |
| Mississippi | $61,250 |
| Wisconsin | $61,040 |
| Louisiana | $60,840 |
| Indiana | $60,680 |
| Florida | $60,370 |
| Idaho | $60,130 |
| Texas | $58,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,800 |
| Oregon | $55,760 |
| West Virginia | $55,380 |
| Oklahoma | $54,500 |
| New York | $54,280 |
| Tennessee | $52,150 |
| Alabama | $51,560 |
| New Mexico | $51,380 |
| California | $51,350 |
| Nevada | $45,710 |
| Kansas | $44,130 |
| North Carolina | $43,390 |
| Kentucky | $43,130 |
| Missouri | $41,780 |
| Puerto Rico | $40,790 |
| Georgia | $36,520 |
Where Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Earn the Most
Compensation for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $76,742 | 2.4% | 0.25 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,308 | 5.1% | 4.92 |
| Plains States | $72,995 | 2.5% | 5.43 |
| Middle Atlantic | $65,471 | 6.8% | 0.64 |
| Southeast | $58,410 | 26.7% | 5.14 |
| Southwest | $58,398 | 38.6% | 3.66 |
| Far Western US | $54,466 | 17.0% | 1.68 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $40,790 | 0.9% | 1.48 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $83,770 | 50 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $80,560 | 290 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | TX | $80,100 | 110 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $77,390 | 110 |
| Longview, TX | TX | $77,190 | 40 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | LA | $76,460 | 60 |
| Monroe, LA | LA | $73,370 | 50 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | TX | $72,630 | 70 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of pump operators, except wellhead pumpers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 3,300 | $59,570 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 2,610 | $60,270 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 2,520 | $77,180 |
| Wholesale Trade | 1,370 | $48,910 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 870 | $48,240 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 500 | $53,440 |
| Manufacturing | 490 | $62,250 |
| Retail Trade | 190 | $47,500 |
Below are examples of industries where pump operators, except wellhead pumpers work:
Software Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Exposed to Contaminants
- In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level pump operators, except wellhead pumpers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (Supplemental)
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (Supplemental)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Supplemental)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (Supplemental)
- Power Plant Operators (Primary-Long)
- Biomass Plant Technicians (Supplemental)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-7072.00 (Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers).
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