First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: Similar Median Pay, Different Education Paths

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: what changes?

Consider First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand if you want to directly supervise and coordinate the activities of helpers, laborers, or material movers, hand. 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. Entry credentials differ: First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand, specialty requirements need verification; Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers, high school diploma or equivalent.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand 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.

The labor-market benchmark for First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand covers the broader BLS group First-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers, except aircraft cargo handling supervisors (53-1047). It does not isolate this specialty.

Compare the practical differences

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

National median pay (2025): $62,890
Route into the job: specialty-specific preparation that needs verification with programs and employers; the broader BLS occupation's education category is not a verified route for this specialty
Prior related experience: Prior experience requirements need verification for this occupation.
Training and licensing: Verify the specialty's training, licensing, and full preparation time with an accredited program or employer.
Work to investigate: Maintain a safe working environment by monitoring safety procedures and equipment.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 54,900

Know before you choose

Review the full career brief for day-to-day working conditions.

See the full First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand 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

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand has the edge on annual openings

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand is at 54,900 annual openings, compared with 1,000 annual openings for Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers.

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

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers is at 4.3% projected growth, compared with 3% projected growth for First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand.

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

67.8/ 100

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

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

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Dimension	First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand	Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
Median pay (2025)	$62,890	$61,770
Pay percentile	53.2 percentile	50.8 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	3%	4.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	54,900	1,000
2025 employment	621,500	9,800
How you qualify	specialty-specific preparation that needs verification with programs and employers; the broader BLS occupation's education category is not a verified route for this specialty	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	Prior experience requirements need verification for this occupation.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	Verify the specialty's training, licensing, and full preparation time with an accredited program or employer.	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 First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand brief Read Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers brief

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand

Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

How the national numbers differ

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand has the edge on annual openings

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

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers

Try another comparison

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators

First-Line Supervisors of Helpers, Laborers, and Material Movers, Hand vs Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors

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Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers vs Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators