Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $72,930/year ($35.06/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $114K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $65,180 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 63% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $73K actually covers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $97K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 63.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $103K | $91K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $118K | $102K |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $98K | $97K |
| Vallejo | $103K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $114K or more, a $67K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 63.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
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 $2,839/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 106% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $73K here vs. $97K nationally.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — below the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $72,930 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,310, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $114,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,730/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 63.4% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $65,180 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.