SOC 53-7072 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers — Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, LA · 3 metro areas compared
In Baton Rouge, LA the median wage for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers reaches $79,840 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.6%
- Openings per year
- 1,500
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Baton Rouge, LA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Baton Rouge, LA the median wage for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers reaches $79,840 a year. That is 29.3% more than the national median of $61,770. Pay ranges from under $29,050 at the tenth percentile to more than $93,580 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $56,550 to $81,220.
The area has 100 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.2 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Shreveport records the highest median at $64,220. Of the 491 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 94th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,050 | −53.0% |
| 25th | $56,550 | −8.5% |
| Median (50th) | $79,840 | +29.3% |
| 75th | $81,220 | +31.5% |
| 90th | $93,580 | +51.5% |
| Mean | $69,160 | +12.0% |
Other metro areas in Louisiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $64,220 | 100 | |
| 2 | Houma | $62,820 | 70 | |
| 3 | New Orleans | $38,360 | 120 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Baton Rouge run 9.2% below the national average, so the median of $79,840 goes as far as $87,930 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 42.4% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$79,840as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$87,930US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $79,840 a year, 29.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $29,050 to $93,580 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Shreveport, at $64,220.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median annual wage is $79,840, or $38.38 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $61,770, so pay in Baton Rouge, LA is 29.3% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Baton Rouge, LA earns more than $93,580 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $29,050 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Shreveport, at $64,220 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 100 jobs in this occupation in Baton Rouge, LA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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