CareerFacts

All careers › Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas

Service unit operator, oil and gas: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$58,160median pay per year, or $27.96 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,940lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,48025th percentile
  3. $58,160median
  4. $73,23075th percentile
  5. $97,560top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for a rig operator in this BLS category was $58,160 a year, above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow 1.1% over the decade, slower than the 3.5% for all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1.1%[3]
Openings per year
3,800[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do service unit operators make?

Rig operator is one of the job titles workers report in the BLS category Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas[8]. The median pay in the BLS category Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas was $58,160 a year, or $27.96 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1][9]. The mean (average) was $62,470 a year, or $30.04 an hour[10]. The median for all US occupations was $50,980[2].

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[5][11] $38,940 $18.72
25th[5][11] $47,480 $22.83
50th (median)[1] $58,160 $27.96
75th[5][11] $73,230 $35.21
90th[5][11] $97,560 $46.90

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,940 a year, and the top 10% earned more than $97,560[5]. A percentile is a boundary line. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

About 43,140 people held these wage and salary jobs in May 2025[12]. The figures leave out the self-employed, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[13].

Pay by state and city

Alaska had the highest state median, $106,480[14]. Missouri ($90,580), Montana ($77,750), New Mexico ($64,990) and Nebraska ($62,990) followed[14]. Kentucky had the lowest published median, $28,280[14]. Missouri and Nebraska had few jobs, 80 and 30, so those figures rest on small counts[14].

Texas had by far the most jobs, 16,820[15]. Louisiana (3,130), North Dakota (3,000), Oklahoma (2,980) and Colorado (2,930) followed[15].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Anchorage, AK had the highest median, $95,370[16]. Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($76,980) and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO ($66,220) came next[16]. The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX area had the most jobs, 5,400, with a median of $49,940[17]. Midland, TX had 3,460 jobs[17].

Show median pay in 27 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Alaska[14]$106,4801,090
Missouri$90,58080
Montana$77,750310
New Mexico$64,9902,600
Nebraska$62,99030
California$62,5802,820
Wyoming$62,560820
Florida$62,050200
Ohio$61,260930
North Dakota$60,8103,000
Louisiana$60,7603,130
Colorado$60,2902,930
Indiana$56,980n/a
Oklahoma$56,6802,980
Utah$56,2901,060
West Virginia$56,250580
Pennsylvania$54,7801,520
Michigan$52,000230
South Dakota$49,92040
Texas$49,82016,820
Mississippi$49,610250
Alabama$49,490170
Arkansas$48,120220
Kansas$46,230370
New York$45,750100
Illinois$41,680220
Kentucky$28,280210

How to become a service unit operator

BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry, work experience in a related occupation of less than 5 years, and moderate-term on-the-job training[7]. The BLS handbook profile used below covers a wider group of oil and gas workers, so its details describe that group[18].

Some roles in the wider group need a commercial driver's license to move equipment, and state rules differ[23]. Employers may also ask for a safety certification that meets OSHA guidelines, before or after hiring[24].

O*NET places the job in a group needing very little to some preparation[25]. Job titles workers report include well servicing rig operator, wireline operator and pulling unit operator[8].

What service unit operators do

These workers run equipment that boosts oil flow from producing wells or frees stuck pipe and tools in drilling wells[26]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:

Where they work

The following comes from the wider oil and gas workers profile[18]. Support activities for mining employed 72% of these workers in 2025[28]. The work involves frequent travel, sometimes to remote areas, and outdoor work in all weather. Some tasks are at great heights or in confined spaces, and the work can be physically demanding and noisy[29]. Workers usually wear protective gear such as hardhats, hearing and eye protection and safety harnesses[30].

Most work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week[31]. Crews on offshore rigs or in remote areas may be away from home for weeks and work long shifts every day of the week, and may then get time off[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, adding about 500 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[4]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, who were 0.5% of the total in 2025[3][32].

BLS expects about 3,800 openings a year[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, an average of 2.4% of workers leave the labor force and 6.1% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay above the all-occupation median, with no formal education required and training on the job[1][2][7]. Pay spreads widely, from $38,940 at the 10th percentile to $97,560 at the 90th[5]. Place matters, with state medians from $28,280 in Kentucky to $106,480 in Alaska[14]. Growth is slower than average[3][4]. The work involves travel, outdoor conditions and sometimes long shifts away from home[29][31].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a service unit operator make an hour?
The median was $27.96 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $18.72 and the top 10% earned more than $46.90[11].
What education do you need to be a service unit operator?
BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry[7]. Some employers prefer a high school diploma or equivalent[19].
How long does it take to become a service unit operator?
BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training and related experience of less than 5 years[7]. It gives no exact length.
Are oil and gas service unit operators in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[3][4]. About 3,800 openings a year are expected[6].
Which state pays service unit operators the most?
Alaska had the highest median, $106,480, in May 2025[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas in the US was $58,160 per year and $27.96 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas is projected to grow 1.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 43,800 to 44,300 jobs (a change of +500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas: 10th percentile $38,940, 25th percentile $47,480, 75th percentile $73,230, 90th percentile $97,560. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 3,800 openings for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. O*NET 47-5013.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Pulling Unit Operator, Reverse Unit Operator, Rig Operator, Service Operator, Service Rig Operator, Tool Pusher, Well Servicing Rig Operator, Wireline Operator. O*NET OnLine
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas was $62,470 per year and $30.04 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas: 10th percentile $18.72, 25th percentile $22.83, 75th percentile $35.21, 90th percentile $46.90. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 43,140 people were employed as Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. Median annual wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas jobs: Texas 16,820; Louisiana 3,130; North Dakota 3,000; Oklahoma 2,980; Colorado 2,930. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (areas with at least 100 jobs): Anchorage, AK $95,370; Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $76,980; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $66,220; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $65,140; Casper, WY $64,680; Farmington, NM $64,500; Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $62,260; Bakersfield-Delano, CA $62,170. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 5,400 (median $49,940); Midland, TX 3,460 (median $49,470); Odessa, TX 1,730 (median $49,080); Bakersfield-Delano, CA 1,360 (median $62,170); Greeley, CO 1,070 (median $51,650); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 1,060 (median $66,220). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Oil and Gas Workers" covers Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. O*NET 47-5013.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET description of Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET task list for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas. O*NET OnLine
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of oil and gas workers in 2025: Support activities for mining 72%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: 0.5% of Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas: 2.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.