Occupations · Transportation and Material Moving
Wellhead Pumpers
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 53-7073.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 126% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $78,290 | 3,940 |
| Midland, TX | $79,640 | 1,470 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $78,230 | 920 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $37,310 | 290 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $63,790 | 170 |
| Greeley, CO | $60,410 | 150 |
| Longview, TX | $60,060 | 140 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $35,720 | 120 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $66,670 | 110 |
| Tulsa, OK | $64,570 | 110 |
| Charleston, WV | $39,810 | 110 |
| Casper, WY | $77,260 | 100 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks.
- Gauge oil and gas production.
- Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
- Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration.
- Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks.
- Open valves to return compressed gas to bottoms of specified wells to repressurize them and force oil to surface.
- Change water filters.
- Repair gas and oil meters and gauges.
- Prepare trucks and equipment necessary for the type of pumping service required.
- Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment.
- Attach pumps and hoses to wellheads.
- Mix acids, chemicals, or dry cement as required for a specific job.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Conduct regular inspections of equipment using drones or other advanced technology.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 6
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| petroleum pump system operator | 3134.4 | exact |
| derrickhand | 8113.1 | close |
| roughneck | 8113.5 | close |
| gauger | 8131.8 | close |
| pipeline pump operator | 8113.4 | close |
| well-digger | 8113.9 | close |
| oil rig motorhand | 8113.3 | close |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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