U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOperate 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
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12,310 | 6.1 % | $15.13 | $31,480 | 1.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $9.30 | $10.93 | $13.78 | $18.53 | $22.85 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $19,340 | $22,740 | $28,670 | $38,530 | $47,520 |
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 | 8,890 | $14.89 | $30,980 | 1 | 7 |
| Oil and gas extraction | 2,320 | $15.75 | $32,760 | 2 | 6 |
| Natural gas distribution | 110 | $16.42 | $34,140 | 3 | 3 |
| Nonmetallic mineral mining and quarrying | 90 | $14.72 | $30,620 | 4 | 8 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Employment rank | Wage rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machinery and equipment rental and leasing | (6) | $20.65 | $42,950 | (6) | 1 |
| Ag., construction, and mining machinery mfg. | (6) | $16.51 | $34,340 | (6) | 2 |
| Natural gas distribution | 110 | $16.42 | $34,140 | 3 | 3 |
| Utility system construction | (6) | $16.38 | $34,070 | (6) | 4 |
| Specialized freight trucking | (6) | $16.32 | $33,940 | (6) | 5 |
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 | 550 | $17.93 | $37,300 | 0.229% | 168 |
| West Virginia | 710 | $16.04 | $33,360 | 0.104% | 251 |
| North Dakota | 310 | $14.89 | $30,970 | 0.099% | 234 |
| Louisiana | 1,220 | $14.92 | $31,030 | 0.067% | 323 |
| New Mexico | 450 | $15.26 | $31,750 | 0.062% | 272 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Percent of State employment | Wage rank within State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 30 | $24.34 | $50,630 | 0.010% | 139 |
| California | 780 | $19.83 | $41,250 | 0.005% | 322 |
| New York | 50 | $19.71 | $41,000 | 0.001% | 310 |
| Wyoming | 550 | $17.93 | $37,300 | 0.229% | 168 |
| Oklahoma | 810 | $17.83 | $37,090 | 0.057% | 213 |
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 | 850 | $13.77 | $28,630 | 0.836% |
| Abilene, TX MSA | 160 | $13.73 | $28,560 | 0.297% |
| Longview-Marshall, TX MSA | 260 | $17.04 | $35,440 | 0.284% |
| Victoria, TX MSA | 90 | $12.48 | $25,950 | 0.254% |
| Lafayette, LA MSA | 390 | $13.67 | $28,440 | 0.238% |
Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| MSA | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage | Percent of MSA employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura, CA PMSA | 60 | $21.26 | $44,220 | 0.021% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA | (6) | $19.70 | $40,980 | (6) |
| Bakersfield, CA MSA | 430 | $19.32 | $40,190 | 0.188% |
| Charleston, WV MSA | (6) | $18.11 | $37,670 | (6) |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA | (6) | $17.48 | $36,350 | (6) |
About 2002 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) Data for detailed occupations does not sum to the totals because the totals include data for 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
2002 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
2002 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
2002 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order
List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order
Download 2002 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files
Last Modified Date: November 26, 2003
