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Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers in Virginia

Thinking about a career as a Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers in Virginia? Here’s what you need to know. 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 Make in Virginia?

For a pump operators, except wellhead pumpers working in Virginia, wages run about $65,720 per year (or roughly $31.60/hour).Annual wages span from $45,730 at the 10th percentile to $74,730 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$45,730	$21.98
25th percentile	$54,700	$26.30
Median (50th)	$65,720	$31.60
75th percentile	$66,030	$31.75
90th percentile	$74,730	$35.93

The job concentration index in Virginia nationwide is 0.64, suggesting fewer pump operators, except wellhead pumpers per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, pump operators, except wellhead pumpers earn a median of $27,190 per year ($13.07/hour), exceeding the Virginia median.

Employment Outlook

National employment for 534,844 pump operators, except wellhead pumpers nationwide. In Virginia alone, around 210 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 170 pump operators, except wellhead pumpers.

Top Virginia Metros for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

The largest metro-area employers of pump operators, except wellhead pumpers in Virginia.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	70	$63,960

Top States for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers Employment

View the states that employ the most pump operators, except wellhead pumpers work.

State	Number Employed
Texas	4,280
Louisiana	1,510
California	1,270
Florida	760
Oregon	480
Pennsylvania	330
North Carolina	310
New Jersey	290
Wyoming	240
North Dakota	230
Virginia	210
Utah	200
New York	170
Alabama	170
Alaska	140
Illinois	110
Puerto Rico	110
New Mexico	110
Oklahoma	100
Ohio	90

Highest-Paying States for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

The highest-paying states for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers.

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

Skills

Top pump operators, except wellhead pumpers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for pump operators, except wellhead pumpers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Common tasks 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.
• Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.
• Test materials and solutions, using testing equipment.
• Tend auxiliary equipment such as water treatment and refrigeration units, and heat exchangers.
• Add chemicals and solutions to tanks to ensure that specifications are met.

Work Activities

• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
• Getting Information
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Analyzing Data or Information
• Documenting/Recording Information

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

Related Careers

Related occupations to pump operators, except wellhead pumpers include:

• Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
• Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas
• Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
• Industrial Machinery Mechanics
• Maintenance Workers, Machinery
• Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Also Known As

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.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 53-7072.00