What is the salary and career path for a pump technician?
There is no BLS pump-technician series; the work is reported inside the broad code Industrial Machinery Mechanics, SOC 49-9041, which covers mechanics maintaining all types of factory machinery, so the figure approximates rather than isolates rotating-equipment specialists. That code shows an OEWS May 2025 median of $64,520 a year ($31.02 an hour), from $46,120 at the 10th percentile to $95,170 at the 90th. No licence governs pump work; training comes through a two-year industrial maintenance or mechatronics degree, a registered maintenance apprenticeship, or manufacturer and seal-vendor schools run by firms such as Flowserve, John Crane and Grundfos. BLS projects 16.1% growth over 2024–2034, much faster than average, with roughly 45,700 openings a year.
- Pump Technicians earn a national median $64,520/yr ($31.02/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9041); the top 10% clear $95,170.
- The code is broad — all industrial machinery maintenance — so rotating-equipment specialists commonly earn above the reported median.
- No licence exists; training comes from apprenticeships, two-year mechatronics degrees and manufacturer or seal-vendor schools.
- BLS projects 16.1% growth for industrial machinery mechanics 2024–34 with about 45,700 openings a year.
Career Path
How do you become a pump technician?
Maintenance mechanic / shop apprentice
Disassembly, cleaning, gasket and packing work and assisting on rebuilds; pay starts near the $46,120 tenth percentile.
Pump Technician
Rebuilding centrifugal and positive displacement pumps, fitting mechanical seals and aligning to the driver, around the $64,520 median for SOC 49-9041.
Rotating equipment specialist
API 610 pumps, vibration analysis, root-cause failure work and commissioning, toward the 75th percentile of $78,780.
Reliability engineer support / maintenance supervisor
Owning the plant's rotating-equipment reliability programme or running the maintenance department reaches the 90th percentile at $95,170.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays pump technicians the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9041. National median: $64,520. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does pump technician pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles pump technicians most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: pump technicians rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +16.1% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly pump technicians clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9041 (pump technicians) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do pump technicians need?
Certification through accredited bodies such as Mobius or the Vibration Institute; the recognised condition-monitoring credential for rotating equipment. See all state licences →
Factory courses from pump and seal makers such as Flowserve, John Crane, Grundfos and Goulds covering their own hydraulics, seal designs and rebuild procedures.
The two-year postsecondary preparation BLS identifies as common for industrial machinery mechanics.
Vendor-issued training in precision alignment to angular and offset tolerance, the practice with the largest single effect on pump and seal life.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do pump technicians use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 49-9041
Salary Levers
How do pump technicians earn above the $64,520 BLS median?
Rotating equipment specialisation over general maintenance
Seal, alignment and vibration skills lift technicians well above the $46,120 tenth percentile of general mechanical work
Refinery, chemical and API 610 process work
Process-industry rotating equipment pays a marked premium over municipal water and light manufacturing pump work
Vibration analysis and root-cause failure capability
Condition-monitoring certification moves pay toward the $78,780 seventy-fifth percentile
Reliability programme ownership or supervision
Running a plant's rotating-equipment reliability programme is what reaches the $95,170 top decile
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a pump technician worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 49-9041. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Pump Technician Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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