Wellhead pumpers
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.
Wellhead pumpers operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field. The role reports a median annual salary of $70,010 in the US and is projected to decline by 5% over the next decade. Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.53 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, Monitoring.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £38,301 a year for Mining and quarry workers and related operatives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8132). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Wellhead pumpers, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Mechanical
- Mathematics
- Administrative
- Chemistry
- Production and Processing
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
A day in the life
You start the day driving out to the oil field, stopping first at the wells on your route to check pumps and flow lines for leaks. At each site you gauge oil and gas production, reading meters and measuring tank levels, and record the figures in your logbook. Mid-morning you start a compressor engine and divert oil from a storage tank into the compressor unit, watching the control panel to make sure everything moves at the correct pressure. When a meter gives an odd reading, you take it apart, clean it and recalibrate it on the spot. After lunch you shut down one well according to the production schedule and switch the flow of another into a different tank. Late afternoon you walk the lines again, checking for any seepage after the day's changes. The work is solitary and often in heat, dust or cold, but keeping the wells running smoothly and safely gives you real pride.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Monitor pumps and flow lines for gas and fluid leaks.
- Gauge oil and gas production.
- Start compressor engines and divert oil from storage tanks into compressor units and auxiliary equipment to recover natural gas from oil.
- Monitor control panels during pumping operations to ensure that materials are being pumped at the correct pressure, density, rate, and concentration.
- Operate engines and pumps to shut off wells according to production schedules, and to switch flow of oil into storage tanks.
- Repair gas and oil meters and gauges.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Wellhead pumpers do?
Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.
What does a typical day look like in Wellhead pumpers?
You start the day driving out to the oil field, stopping first at the wells on your route to check pumps and flow lines for leaks. At each site you gauge oil and gas production, reading meters and measuring tank levels, and record the figures in your logbook. Mid-morning you start a compressor engine and divert oil from a storage tank into the compressor unit, watching the control panel to make sure everything moves at the correct pressure.
How much does Wellhead pumpers earn?
The median annual salary for Wellhead pumpers in the US is $70,010.
What is the job outlook for Wellhead pumpers?
The role is projected to decline by 5% over the next decade. Current US employment is approximately 18,800 workers.
How do I become wellhead pumpers?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Wellhead pumpers need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Repairing, Equipment Maintenance, Monitoring, Critical Thinking. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Wellhead pumpers?
Our AI-durability model gives Wellhead pumpers a score of 0.53 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Wellhead pumpers has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.