Transportation & Logistics
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
Also called: Boom Pump Operator, Chemical Pumper, Day Light Relief Operator, Outside Operator
US median pay
$61,770
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+4.3%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
1,000
9,800 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Tend, control, or operate power-driven, stationary, or portable pumps and manifold systems to transfer gases, oil, other liquids, slurries, or powdered materials to and from various vessels and processes.
What they do day to day
- Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at specified levels, reporting abnormalities as necessary.
- Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, stocks used, gauging results, and operating times.
- Plan movement of products through lines to processing, storage, and shipping units, using knowledge of interconnections and capacities of pipelines, valve manifolds, pumps, and tankage.
- Turn valves and start pumps to start or regulate flows of substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials.
- Communicate with other workers, using signals, radios, or telephones, to start and stop flows of materials or substances.
- Connect hoses and pipelines to pumps and vessels prior to material transfer, using hand tools.
- Tend vessels that store substances such as gases, liquids, slurries, or powdered materials, checking levels of substances by using calibrated rods or by reading mercury gauges and tank charts.
- Clean, lubricate, and repair pumps and vessels, using hand tools and equipment.
- Read operating schedules or instructions or receive verbal orders to determine amounts to be pumped.
- Test materials and solutions, using testing equipment.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.9/5
- Operation and Control3.5/5
- Troubleshooting3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.9/5
- Instructing2.9/5
- Equipment Maintenance2.9/5
Knowledge
- Production and Processing3.4/5
- Mechanical3.3/5
- English Language3.3/5
- Mathematics3.0/5
- Administration and Management3.0/5
- Computers and Electronics3.0/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma61%
- Bachelor's degree18%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.