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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

47-5013 Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining

Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations. Includes fishing-tool technicians.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
49,710 3.6 % $25.38 $52,780 1.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $15.59 $18.27 $23.01 $29.63 $37.90
Annual Wage (2) $32,430 $37,990 $47,860 $61,630 $78,840


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 36,560 11.40 $23.95 $49,810
Oil and Gas Extraction 6,550 4.64 $30.37 $63,160
Natural Gas Distribution 930 0.86 $28.59 $59,470
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 810 0.24 $31.51 $65,540
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 750 0.10 $29.02 $60,360

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Support Activities for Mining 36,560 11.40 $23.95 $49,810
Oil and Gas Extraction 6,550 4.64 $30.37 $63,160
Natural Gas Distribution 930 0.86 $28.59 $59,470
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 200 0.69 $27.36 $56,910
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 810 0.24 $31.51 $65,540

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 450 0.02 $53.05 $110,350
Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) 810 0.24 $31.51 $65,540
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (8) (8) $31.08 $64,650
Oil and Gas Extraction 6,550 4.64 $30.37 $63,160
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying 120 0.13 $29.76 $61,900


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 24,050 1.98 5.78 $24.93 $51,850
Pennsylvania 3,120 0.53 1.55 $21.38 $44,470
Oklahoma 2,820 1.77 5.15 $22.08 $45,930
Colorado 2,530 0.97 2.81 $27.07 $56,310
North Dakota 2,360 5.66 16.49 $29.21 $60,760




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 1,800 6.67 19.43 $26.64 $55,410
North Dakota 2,360 5.66 16.49 $29.21 $60,760
Alaska 1,070 3.40 9.90 $30.63 $63,720
New Mexico 1,770 2.18 6.36 $30.31 $63,040
Texas 24,050 1.98 5.78 $24.93 $51,850




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 1,070 3.40 9.90 $30.63 $63,720
New Mexico 1,770 2.18 6.36 $30.31 $63,040
North Dakota 2,360 5.66 16.49 $29.21 $60,760
Montana 280 0.60 1.74 $29.08 $60,480
Mississippi 240 0.21 0.61 $27.68 $57,570





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,250 2.09 6.10 $27.50 $57,200
Midland, TX 3,640 35.80 104.23 $23.20 $48,260
Odessa, TX 2,140 27.92 81.31 $23.10 $48,050
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 1,840 1.82 5.31 $22.39 $46,570
Pittsburgh, PA 1,700 1.48 4.32 $18.53 $38,540
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,660 0.46 1.35 $22.30 $46,380
Bakersfield, CA 1,600 5.22 15.21 $26.16 $54,420
Greeley, CO 1,480 14.33 41.73 $22.48 $46,760
Lafayette, LA 900 4.57 13.29 $26.74 $55,630
Longview, TX 860 9.35 27.23 $21.13 $43,950




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, TX 3,640 35.80 104.23 $23.20 $48,260
Odessa, TX 2,140 27.92 81.31 $23.10 $48,050
Greeley, CO 1,480 14.33 41.73 $22.48 $46,760
Farmington, NM 680 14.10 41.07 $32.39 $67,380
Casper, WY 370 9.73 28.32 $22.98 $47,800
Longview, TX 860 9.35 27.23 $21.13 $43,950
Victoria, TX 300 7.51 21.88 $25.42 $52,870
Abilene, TX 380 5.97 17.38 $25.99 $54,060
Bakersfield, CA 1,600 5.22 15.21 $26.16 $54,420
Lafayette, LA 900 4.57 13.29 $26.74 $55,630




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 40 0.13 0.38 $42.52 $88,440
Farmington, NM 680 14.10 41.07 $32.39 $67,380
Albuquerque, NM (8) (8) (8) $31.86 $66,280
Cheyenne, WY (8) (8) (8) $30.72 $63,890
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO (8) (8) (8) $30.53 $63,500
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 500 0.08 0.24 $29.81 $62,000
Corpus Christi, TX 290 1.53 4.44 $28.13 $58,510
Ogden-Clearfield, UT (8) (8) (8) $28.02 $58,270
Anchorage, AK 260 1.51 4.38 $27.84 $57,920
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 6,250 2.09 6.10 $27.50 $57,200

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 2,560 13.19 38.39 $28.10 $58,450
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 2,340 19.28 56.15 $29.14 $60,610
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 1,020 6.44 18.76 $28.90 $60,100
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 950 3.49 10.15 $25.91 $53,900
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 920 6.34 18.46 $24.11 $50,150

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 2,340 19.28 56.15 $29.14 $60,610
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 2,560 13.19 38.39 $28.10 $58,450
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 810 8.17 23.78 $28.27 $58,800
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 490 7.66 22.31 $19.54 $40,640
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 800 7.58 22.06 $31.47 $65,450

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 130 0.87 2.52 $34.85 $72,490
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 800 7.58 22.06 $31.47 $65,450
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 50 0.71 2.08 $31.15 $64,800
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 90 0.77 2.23 $31.14 $64,770
Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area 40 0.61 1.78 $30.38 $63,190


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019