Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA is $103,250/year ($49.64/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $83K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 113.57), so that salary is closer to $90,913 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,601/month, about 40.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $103K get you in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim’s Regional Price Parity (113.57). 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers pay in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $97K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,601/month, which is 41.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 113.57), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $118K | $102K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $98K | $97K |
| 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, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $83K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $46K 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 41.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,601/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers typically earn — is $83K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,980/month. At HUD’s $2,601/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $97K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 113.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA?
The median is $103,250 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $83,000, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $128,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,274/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,601/month, which eats 41.5% 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 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim?
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim has a Regional Price Parity of 113.57 (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 $90,913 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.