Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Billings, MT is $103,110/year ($49.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $79K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.53), which stretches that salary to about $110,243 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,417/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $103K get you in Billings?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Billings’s Regional Price Parity (93.53). 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 Billings
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers pay in Billings tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $97K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,417/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.53 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Billings, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Casper | $100K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Billings, MT
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $79K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $29K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when Billings numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gauger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Billings?
Yes — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,417/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 Billings?
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 $4,733/month. At HUD’s $1,417/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gauger a high-paying job in Billings?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $97K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Billings compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Billings pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.53), the purchasing-power equivalent is $110K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in Billings, MT?
The median is $103,110 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $78,890, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $108,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Billings?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,329/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,417/month, which eats 22.4% 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 Billings?
Billings has a Regional Price Parity of 93.53 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary is worth about $110,243 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.