Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2003

47-5013 Service Unit Operators, Oil, Gas, and Mining

Operate equipment to increase oil flow from producing wells or to remove stuck pipe, casing, tools, or other obstructions from drilling wells. May also perform similar services in mining exploration operations. Include fishing-tool technicians.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
12,640 7.0 % $15.93 $33,140 2.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $9.47 $11.35 $14.41 $19.46 $25.02
Annual Wage (2) $19,710 $23,600 $29,970 $40,470 $52,030

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Support activities for mining 9,130 $15.90 $33,080 1 6
Oil and gas extraction 2,330 $15.90 $33,060 2 7
Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying 130 $15.28 $31,780 3 8
Utility system construction 90 $17.01 $35,370 4 4
Machinery and equipment rental and leasing 70 $22.23 $46,240 5 1

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Machinery and equipment rental and leasing 70 $22.23 $46,240 5 1
Natural gas distribution 70 $17.73 $36,870 6 2
Specialized freight trucking (6) $17.34 $36,060 (6) 3
Utility system construction 90 $17.01 $35,370 4 4
Ag., construction, and mining machinery mfg. (6) $16.65 $34,630 (6) 5

State profile for this occupation: Top

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
Wyoming 560 $17.38 $36,160 0.232% 198
West Virginia 570 $20.08 $41,760 0.084% 166
North Dakota 260 $15.20 $31,620 0.083% 253
Oklahoma 1,090 $17.85 $37,120 0.077% 235
Louisiana 1,290 $16.11 $33,510 0.070% 314

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
Alaska 60 $21.63 $45,000 0.021% 207
California 1,090 $20.86 $43,390 0.008% 334
West Virginia 570 $20.08 $41,760 0.084% 166
Alabama (6) $19.08 $39,680 (6) 215
Oklahoma 1,090 $17.85 $37,120 0.077% 235

Metropolitan area profile for this occupation: Top

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Odessa-Midland, TX MSA 1,040 $13.65 $28,400 1.017%
Longview-Marshall, TX MSA 340 $17.71 $36,830 0.373%
Abilene, TX MSA 180 $13.67 $28,420 0.336%
Casper, WY MSA 100 $16.67 $34,670 0.305%
Bakersfield, CA MSA 650 $20.47 $42,580 0.292%

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Ventura, CA PMSA 50 $22.98 $47,790 0.017%
Fresno, CA MSA 50 $22.95 $47,730 0.015%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA (6) $20.49 $42,630 (6)
Bakersfield, CA MSA 650 $20.47 $42,580 0.292%
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA 150 $20.10 $41,800 0.085%

About May 2003 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

To see profiles of other occupations, select from the major groups below:

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable Excel files(XLS).

Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(6) Estimates not released.

All Construction and Extraction Occupations

2003 May National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2003 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: May 7, 2004