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How Much Does a Service Unit Operator, Oil and Gas Make?

A service unit operator, oil and gas in the US earns a median salary of $58,160 a year, or $27.96 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $62,470, and the middle half earn between $47,480 and $73,230.

Median a year $58,160
Median an hour $27.96
Median a month $4,847
Average a year $62,470

Service unit operator, oil and gas pay range

What service unit operators, oil and gas earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $38,940 $18.72
25th $47,480 $22.83
Median (50th) $58,160 $27.96
75th $73,230 $35.21
90th (top 10%) $97,560 $46.90

The median is 14% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 43,140 people work as service unit operators, oil and gas in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,118
Every two weeks
$2,237
Twice a month
$2,423
A month
$4,847

At the median salary, before tax.

Service unit operator, oil and gas salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Alaska pays service unit operators, oil and gas the most, at $112,650 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Alaska $112,650 $106,480 1,090 After tax
Missouri $86,280 $90,580 80 After tax
Montana $77,060 $77,750 310 After tax
New Mexico $71,680 $64,990 2,600 After tax
Colorado $68,980 $60,290 2,930 After tax
California $68,290 $62,580 2,820 After tax
Ohio $68,110 $61,260 930 After tax
Wyoming $67,820 $62,560 820 After tax
North Dakota $64,310 $60,810 3,000 After tax
Oklahoma $61,790 $56,680 2,980 After tax
Louisiana $61,570 $60,760 3,130 After tax
Nebraska $61,450 $62,990 30 After tax
Florida $60,640 $62,050 200 After tax
West Virginia $59,870 $56,250 580 After tax
Utah $58,990 $56,290 1,060 After tax
Mississippi $58,770 $49,610 250 After tax
Michigan $58,240 $52,000 230 After tax
Texas $56,620 $49,820 16,820 After tax
Alabama $55,900 $49,490 170 After tax
Pennsylvania $55,050 $54,780 1,520 After tax
Indiana $53,880 $56,980 – After tax
South Dakota $51,430 $49,920 40 After tax
Illinois $50,090 $41,680 220 After tax
Kansas $49,820 $46,230 370 After tax
Arkansas $48,770 $48,120 220 After tax
New York $47,310 $45,750 100 After tax
Kentucky $43,430 $28,280 210 After tax

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other construction and extraction jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas” (SOC 47-5013). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a service unit operator, oil and gas make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a service unit operator, oil and gas is $27.96, and the average is $30.04. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $18.72 an hour and the top 10% over $46.90.

How much does a service unit operator, oil and gas make a month?

At the median salary of $58,160, a service unit operator, oil and gas earns about $4,847 a month before tax, or $2,237 every two weeks.

Which state pays service unit operators, oil and gas the most?

Alaska has the highest average pay for a service unit operator, oil and gas, at $112,650 a year. Next are Missouri and Montana. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a service unit operator, oil and gas?

The lowest-paid 10% of service unit operators, oil and gas earn less than $38,940 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $47,480. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid service unit operators, oil and gas make?

The top 10% earn more than $97,560 a year, and the top 25% more than $73,230.