Careers / Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$96,710
United States, 2025
Employment
33,160
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 51-8093.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Typical tasks
- Signal other workers by telephone or radio to operate pumps, open and close valves, and check temperatures.
- Maintain and repair equipment, or report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors so that repairs can be scheduled.
- Monitor process indicators, instruments, gauges, and meters to detect and report any possible problems.
- Start pumps and open valves or use automated equipment to regulate the flow of oil in pipelines and into and out of tanks.
- Operate control panels to coordinate and regulate process variables such as temperature and pressure, and to direct product flow rate, according to process schedules.
- Verify that incoming and outgoing products are moving through the correct meters, and that meters are working properly.
- Patrol units to monitor the amount of oil in storage tanks, and to verify that activities and operations are safe, efficient, and in compliance with regulations.
- Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of system interconnections and capacities.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$57,110
25th percentile
$77,510
75th percentile
$106,320
90th percentile
$115,880
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring4.0
- Operation and Control3.8
- Monitoring3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Writing3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 12 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
12
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.0 | 4.6 | Not selected | 4.6 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.5 | 3.4 | Not selected | 3.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | 3.5 | Not selected | 3.5 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| AK | $124,530 | 370 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $117,660 | 870 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $111,370 | 620 | 2025 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $109,390 | 120 | 2025 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $108,420 | 660 | 2025 |
| Toledo, OH | $107,520 | 320 | 2025 |
| New Orleans, LA | $107,490 | 1,560 | 2025 |
| Wichita, KS | $107,260 | 370 | 2025 |
| Tulsa, OK | $107,170 | 570 | 2025 |
| LA | $106,640 | 3,490 | 2025 |
| UT | $105,980 | 600 | 2025 |
| Ogden, UT | $105,980 | 430 | 2025 |
| Bellingham, WA | $105,640 | 380 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $105,580 | 590 | 2025 |
| OH | $105,150 | 800 | 2025 |
| NJ | $104,540 | 420 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $104,540 | 340 | 2025 |
| WA | $103,620 | 930 | 2025 |
| CA | $103,250 | 3,360 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $103,250 | 1,700 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.