Pump Operators build operations monitoring, operation and control and troubleshooting skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (93%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 93% | $96,710 | +57% | None |
| 2 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | 87% | $58,040 | −6% | None |
| 3 | Gas Plant Operators | 87% | $87,820 | +42% | None |
| 4 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | 85% | $60,020 | −3% | None |
| 5 | Biomass Plant Technicians | 85% | $102,040Pay for the broader BLS group “Power Plant Operators” | Not compared | None |
| 6 | Power Plant Operators | 85% | $102,040 | +65% | None |
| 7 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | 85% | $54,430 | −12% | None |
| 8 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 83% | $51,610 | −16% | None |
| 9 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | 82% | $78,620 | +27% | Certificate or associate |
| 10 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | 82% | $78,120 | +26% | None |
Compared with Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers, median $61,770. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as pump operators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
93% skill match · $96,710 · +57% pay
Systems Evaluation · Systems Analysis · Operation and Control
87% skill match · $58,040 · −6% pay
Operation and Control · Systems Evaluation
87% skill match · $87,820 · +42% pay
Systems Evaluation · Quality Control Analysis · Systems Analysis
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (93% skill match, median $96,710), Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (87% skill match, median $58,040) and Gas Plant Operators (87% skill match, median $87,820), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 10 pay more than pump operators at the median. The biggest increases: Power Plant Operators (+65%, $102,040), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+57%, $96,710) and Gas Plant Operators (+42%, $87,820).
24 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.