Dredge Operators vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: $50K vs $62K Median Pay

Dredge Operators vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: what changes?

Consider Dredge Operators if you want to operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways. Consider Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers if you would rather tend, control, or operate power-driven, stationary, or portable pumps and manifold systems to transfer gases, oil, other liquids, slurries, or powdered materials to and from various vessels and processes. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Dredge Operators and Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Dredge Operators

National median pay (2025): $49,640
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 100

Know before you choose

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.7%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

See the full Dredge Operators brief

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

National median pay (2025): $61,770
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Monitor gauges and flowmeters and inspect equipment to ensure that tank levels, temperatures, chemical amounts, and pressures are at specified levels, reporting abnormalities as necessary.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,000

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (9,800 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers brief

How the national numbers differ

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has the edge on projected growth

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is at 4.3% projected growth, compared with 0.7% projected growth for Dredge Operators.

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has the edge on median pay

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is at $61,770, compared with $49,640 for Dredge Operators.

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has the edge on annual openings

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is at 1,000 annual openings, compared with 100 annual openings for Dredge Operators.

29.6/ 100

Dredge Operators

49.2/ 100

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Dredge Operators vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Dimension	Dredge Operators	Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
Median pay (2025)	$49,640	$61,770
Pay percentile	31.6 percentile	50.8 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	0.7%	4.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	100	1,000
2025 employment	1,300	9,800
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Dredge Operators brief Read Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers brief

Dredge Operators vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Dredge Operators

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

How the national numbers differ

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has the edge on projected growth

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has the edge on median pay

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers has the edge on annual openings

Dredge Operators vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

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Dredge Operators vs Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators

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