Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Salary
The median pay for a petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA is $117,660/year ($56.57/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $97K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 115.61), so that salary is closer to $101,773 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,604/month, about 49.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $118K get you in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont’s Regional Price Parity (115.61). 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont sits well above the national pay line for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers, local pay runs about 22% higher than the U.S. median of $97K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,604/month, which is 51.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 16% above the national average (BEA RPP 115.61), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers in metros near San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $103K | $91K |
| 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, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
Entry-level petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers (10th percentile) start around $97K. Mid-career wages sit at $118K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $53K 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont 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 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $118K, rent takes 51.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,604/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,100/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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers typically earn — is $97K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,808/month. At HUD’s $3,604/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
Local pay is 22% above the national median — $118K here vs. $97K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 16% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont compare to the national average for petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont pays $118K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s +22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 115.61), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers make in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA?
The median is $117,660 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $96,800, and experienced petroleum pump system operators, refinery operators, and gaugers can clear $149,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $118K enough to live in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,007/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,604/month, which eats 51.4% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont has a Regional Price Parity of 115.61 (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 $101,773 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.