Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Midland, TX is $80,540/year ($38.72/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.78), that's roughly $84,089 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,772/month, about 32.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Midland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Midland’s Regional Price Parity (95.78). 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 Midland
Pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in Midland runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $97K. Rent runs $1,772/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.78) 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 Midland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $84K | $85K |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $101K | $112K |
| Corpus Christi | $79K | $85K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $68K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Midland, TX
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $54K 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 Midland 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 Midland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 32.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,772/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Midland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,817/month. At HUD’s $1,772/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Midland?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $81K here vs. $97K nationally.
How does Midland compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
Midland pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in Midland, TX?
The median is $80,540 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,950, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $101,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Midland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,421/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,772/month, which eats 32.7% 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 Midland?
Midland has a Regional Price Parity of 95.78 (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 $84,089 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.