Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Bakersfield-Delano, CA is $97,530/year ($46.89/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $96,670 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,483/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Where the paycheck goes
What $98K actually covers in Bakersfield-Delano, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bakersfield-Delano’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers
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What this looks like in Bakersfield-Delano
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers pay in Bakersfield-Delano tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $97K nationwide, a 1% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,483/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in metros near Bakersfield-Delano, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $103K | $91K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $118K | $102K |
| Vallejo | $103K | $95K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $80K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $19K spread from bottom to top.
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $125K | +29% | 370 |
| Louisiana | $107K | +10% | 3,490 |
| Utah | $106K | +10% | 600 |
| Ohio | $105K | +9% | 800 |
| New Jersey | $105K | +8% | 420 |
| Washington | $104K | +7% | 930 |
| California | $103K | +7% | 3,360 |
| Illinois | $103K | +6% | 1,070 |
| Minnesota | $102K | +5% | 550 |
| Kansas | $102K | +5% | 950 |
| Wyoming | $100K | +4% | 560 |
| Montana | $98K | +2% | 550 |
| Tennessee | $97K | +0% | 170 |
| Oklahoma | $95K | -2% | 1,390 |
| Hawaii | $95K | -2% | 280 |
| Colorado | $94K | -3% | 120 |
| North Dakota | $93K | -4% | 950 |
| Iowa | $90K | -7% | 70 |
| New York | $89K | -8% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $87K | -10% | 220 |
| Texas | $84K | -13% | 10,510 |
| Michigan | $84K | -13% | 180 |
| West Virginia | $84K | -13% | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $84K | -13% | 820 |
| Missouri | $81K | -16% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $80K | -17% | 130 |
| Kentucky | $79K | -19% | 520 |
| Maryland | $79K | -19% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $75K | -22% | 860 |
| New Mexico | $74K | -23% | 420 |
| Alabama | $74K | -24% | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $71K | -26% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $70K | -28% | 120 |
| Indiana | $67K | -30% | 520 |
| Maine | $65K | -33% | 60 |
| Florida | $63K | -34% | 170 |
| Nevada | $62K | -35% | 30 |
| Arizona | $60K | -38% | 180 |
| Virginia | $59K | -39% | 250 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -40% | 70 |
| Georgia | $57K | -41% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $57K | -41% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 42 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Bakersfield-Delano numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gauger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Bakersfield-Delano?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers typically earn — is $79K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,054/month. At HUD’s $1,483/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gauger a high-paying job in Bakersfield-Delano?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $97K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Bakersfield-Delano compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Bakersfield-Delano pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median is $97,530 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,280, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $98,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Bakersfield-Delano?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,983/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,483/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary go in Bakersfield-Delano?
Bakersfield-Delano has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary is worth about $96,670 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.