SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. Includes fishing-tool technicians.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-5013.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $38,940 | $3,245 | $749 | $18.72 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $47,480 | $3,957 | $913 | $22.83 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $58,160 | $4,847 | $1,118 | $27.96 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $73,230 | $6,102 | $1,408 | $35.21 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $97,560 | $8,130 | $1,876 | $46.90 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas is $58,160, which is 14% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 27 by median pay. With 43,140 jobs, it makes up about 2.8 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($106,480), Missouri ($90,580) and Montana ($77,750). The lowest was in Kentucky ($28,280), Illinois ($41,680) and New York ($45,750). The most jobs were in Texas (16,820), Louisiana (3,130) and North Dakota (3,000). The occupation is most concentrated in North Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 25.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1,090 | $106,480 | $112,650 | $51.19 |
| Missouri | 80 | $90,580 | $86,280 | $43.55 |
| Montana | 310 | $77,750 | $77,060 | $37.38 |
| New Mexico | 2,600 | $64,990 | $71,680 | $31.25 |
| Nebraska | 30 | $62,990 | $61,450 | $30.28 |
| California | 2,820 | $62,580 | $68,290 | $30.09 |
| Wyoming | 820 | $62,560 | $67,820 | $30.08 |
| Florida | 200 | $62,050 | $60,640 | $29.83 |
| Ohio | 930 | $61,260 | $68,110 | $29.45 |
| North Dakota | 3,000 | $60,810 | $64,310 | $29.24 |
| Louisiana | 3,130 | $60,760 | $61,570 | $29.21 |
| Colorado | 2,930 | $60,290 | $68,980 | $28.98 |
| Indiana | not published | $56,980 | $53,880 | $27.39 |
| Oklahoma | 2,980 | $56,680 | $61,790 | $27.25 |
| Utah | 1,060 | $56,290 | $58,990 | $27.06 |
| West Virginia | 580 | $56,250 | $59,870 | $27.04 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,520 | $54,780 | $55,050 | $26.34 |
| Michigan | 230 | $52,000 | $58,240 | $25.00 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $49,920 | $51,430 | $24.00 |
| Texas | 16,820 | $49,820 | $56,620 | $23.95 |
| Mississippi | 250 | $49,610 | $58,770 | $23.85 |
| Alabama | 170 | $49,490 | $55,900 | $23.79 |
| Arkansas | 220 | $48,120 | $48,770 | $23.14 |
| Kansas | 370 | $46,230 | $49,820 | $22.23 |
| New York | 100 | $45,750 | $47,310 | $21.99 |
| Illinois | 220 | $41,680 | $50,090 | $20.04 |
| Kentucky | 210 | $28,280 | $43,430 | $13.60 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$58,930 a year
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas$58,620 a year
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical$58,340 a year
- Plasterers and Stucco Masons$57,660 a year
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$57,430 a year
- Stonemasons$57,390 a year
Common questions
How much do Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas earn in the United States?
The median pay was $58,160 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,940 and the highest-paid 10% more than $97,560.
How many people work as Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas?
About 43,140 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.