How to become a Wellhead Pumper

Official title: Wellhead Pumpers

Also called: Field Operator, Lease Attendant, Lease Operator, Oilfield Plant Operator, Pumper, Well Field Technician, Well Head Pumper, Well Tender, Wellhead Pumper

Operate power pumps and auxiliary equipment to produce flow of oil or gas from wells in oil field.

Main tasks

• 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.
• Perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment.

How to become one

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $69,960 a year The middle half earn $52,330 to $82,200.
• About 18,400 people work in this job now, and about 18,000 are projected by 2035. (-2%)
• People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Related jobs

• Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
• Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
• Conveyor Operators and Tenders
• Packers and Packagers, Hand
• Crane and Tower Operators
• Dredge Operators

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Questions people ask

How much does a Wellhead Pumper earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $69,960 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $52,330 to $82,200.

Is a Wellhead Pumper a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 18,400 people now and 18,000 later (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Wellhead Pumper?

Usually not. Only 11% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Wellhead Pumper?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.