51
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 51-8093 |
| title | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers |
| onet code | 51-8093.00 |
| description | Operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks, or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 34,860 |
| a mean | 90,970 |
| a median | 97,540 |
| a pct10 | 59,790 |
| a pct25 | 77,970 |
| a pct75 | 104,660 |
| a pct90 | 112,920 |
| h mean | 43 |
| h median | 46 |
The day-to-day work of a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers typically centers on signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.31 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (97.0%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in California at $107,270 and lowest in Alabama at $51,270 — a 2.1× spread. The top five states (California, Alaska, Ohio, Kansas, Utah) average $104,182. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $107,270 | $102,960 | $61,430 | $124,040 | 3,640 |
| Alaska | $105,380 | $104,540 | $70,990 | $131,070 | 280 |
| Ohio | $104,140 | $95,630 | $73,170 | $105,760 | 720 |
| Kansas | $102,200 | $89,740 | $59,830 | $107,250 | 1,030 |
| Utah | $101,920 | $90,520 | $63,140 | $103,060 | 660 |
| New Jersey | $101,340 | $98,720 | $77,480 | $115,340 | 470 |
| Washington | $99,690 | $94,110 | $76,560 | $111,270 | 1,030 |
| Louisiana | $98,930 | $90,720 | $48,940 | $107,000 | 3,520 |
| Minnesota | $98,720 | $102,930 | $74,440 | $126,960 | 570 |
| Illinois | $98,240 | $100,260 | $96,900 | $106,360 | 1,100 |
| North Dakota | $98,010 | $99,340 | $78,580 | $120,130 | 240 |
| Texas | $97,970 | $90,580 | $59,560 | $109,580 | 12,060 |
| Montana | $97,840 | $97,030 | $74,710 | $119,210 | 570 |
| Wyoming | $96,470 | $94,760 | $66,850 | $110,550 | 700 |
| Iowa | $93,760 | $86,070 | $62,300 | $101,390 | 110 |
| Oklahoma | $89,850 | $90,860 | $71,750 | $110,180 | 1,340 |
| Hawaii | $87,420 | $89,560 | $65,060 | $124,450 | 300 |
| Michigan | $87,390 | $85,090 | $50,060 | $107,780 | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,390 | $83,880 | $59,670 | $102,340 | 1,030 |
| Tennessee | $84,340 | $84,360 | $65,820 | $98,290 | 160 |
| Nebraska | $83,750 | $82,900 | $63,760 | $101,060 | 30 |
| Colorado | $83,670 | $84,100 | $56,070 | $105,990 | 180 |
| Wisconsin | $83,070 | $88,180 | $69,140 | $104,350 | 60 |
| Maryland | $81,750 | $80,850 | $46,800 | $97,690 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $81,490 | $77,110 | $54,800 | $93,650 | 280 |
| West Virginia | $81,190 | $79,970 | $61,140 | $94,620 | 380 |
| Virginia | $80,650 | $83,170 | $57,800 | $117,190 | 100 |
| Kentucky | $80,050 | $77,530 | $47,930 | $104,000 | 610 |
| Georgia | $80,020 | $79,990 | $54,040 | $107,020 | 130 |
| Missouri | $78,480 | $82,680 | $45,280 | $115,290 | 60 |
| Indiana | $77,450 | $75,060 | $40,840 | $102,810 | 350 |
| Mississippi | $77,090 | $77,400 | $60,800 | $95,020 | 1,080 |
| New York | $74,600 | $74,920 | $50,900 | $101,670 | 120 |
| Arizona | $73,230 | $73,850 | $39,160 | $117,190 | 180 |
| North Carolina | $72,090 | $73,400 | $49,470 | $94,650 | 130 |
| South Carolina | $68,920 | $66,920 | $25,150 | $95,750 | 90 |
| New Mexico | $67,380 | $73,560 | $43,680 | $107,550 | 400 |
| Maine | $62,230 | $65,610 | $39,970 | $88,950 | 100 |
| Florida | $60,830 | $65,030 | $55,220 | $80,410 | 180 |
| Nevada | $56,470 | $70,390 | $48,730 | $115,910 | 40 |
| Alabama | $51,270 | $61,140 | $40,370 | $94,140 | 90 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Absorption Plant Operator or Board Operator frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.