Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH is $79,260/year ($38.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers.
So what does $79K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.3). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $97K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,474/month, which is 49.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.3), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $105K | , |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $57K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $35K 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
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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gauger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 49.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,474/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,066/month. At HUD’s $2,474/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gauger a high-paying job in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $79K here vs. $97K nationally.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $79,260 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,760, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $102,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,015/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,474/month, which eats 49.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers salary is worth about $73,186 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.