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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gass by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gass the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Anchorage ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $90,467/year, better purchasing power than Anchorage's higher nominal pay of $95,370. San Francisco and New York dominate the headline salary lists for most occupations, but they don't crack the COL-adjusted top 10 here. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2025 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Anchorage$95,370
#2 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$76,980
#3 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$65,140

Best purchasing power

#1 Anchorage$90,467
#2 Farmington$73,538
#3 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux$73,161

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed service unit operators, oil and gass excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Anchorage
17% rent burden
$95,370
$90,467
#2
Farmington
20% rent burden
$64,500
$73,538
#3
Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux
21% rent burden
$62,260
$73,161
#4
Wheeling
19% rent burden
$61,570
$69,712
#5
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura
42% rent burden
$76,980
$69,646
#6
Tulsa
24% rent burden
$62,110
$69,622
#7
Casper
20% rent burden
$64,680
$68,933
#8
Minot
20% rent burden
$59,400
$68,252
#9
Beaumont-Port Arthur
22% rent burden
$60,070
$66,707
#10
Oklahoma City
25% rent burden
$60,260
$66,652
#11
Baton Rouge
24% rent burden
$59,440
$65,477
#12
Victoria
30% rent burden
$57,050
$63,502
#13
Pittsburgh
26% rent burden
$59,520
$62,871
#14
Bakersfield-Delano
29% rent burden
$62,170
$61,622
#15
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
38% rent burden
$60,870
$59,045
#16
Shreveport-Bossier City
27% rent burden
$49,250
$58,098
#17
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
48% rent burden
$65,140
$57,357
#18
Lafayette
26% rent burden
$47,020
$53,916
#19
Odessa
39% rent burden
$49,080
$52,268
#20
Longview
31% rent burden
$46,280
$51,721
#21
Midland
43% rent burden
$49,470
$51,650
#22
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
38% rent burden
$49,940
$50,634
#23
San Antonio-New Braunfels
36% rent burden
$47,650
$50,306
#24
Lubbock
26% rent burden
$45,730
$50,077
#25
Corpus Christi
36% rent burden
$46,160
$49,811

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gass?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $95,370 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $79,475 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A service unit operators, oil and gas in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gass?

Anchorage has one of the lowest rent burdens for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gass in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,376/month, with a median salary of $95,370.

Where do Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gass get paid the most in nominal terms?

Anchorage pays the highest nominal median salary at $95,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for Service Unit Operators, Oil and GassView →How to become a service unit operators, oil and gasGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →