486/Pipeline Transportation
US businesses, employees and payroll, 2017 to 2023
46K
employees, 2023
46K
employees, 2023
In 2023, 3,517 US Pipeline Transportation business locations employed 45,688 people and paid $6.8 billion in annual payroll, $148,648 per employee on average. Employment was up 2.6% from 2022. Texas had the most employees.
Updated Oct 9, 2026 · data year 2023
Business locations
3,517
+3.7% vs 2022
Employees
45,688
+2.6% vs 2022
Annual payroll
$6.8B
+12.7% vs 2022
Average pay
$148,648
+9.9% vs 2022
Over the years
United States, 2017 to 2023
Employees
Paid employees in mid-March
Business locations
Places with paid employees
By state
Employees of Pipeline Transportation in each state, 2023
Employees by state
States with the most employees
Employees and the share of all the state's jobs
| State | Business locations | Employees | Average pay | Share of state jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 763 | 14,604* | $161,719 | 0.12% |
| Louisiana | 299 | 2,777* | $142,824 | 0.16% |
| Oklahoma | 155 | 2,773* | $165,629 | 0.19% |
| Ohio | 127 | 2,130* | $142,294 | 0.04% |
| Pennsylvania | 162 | 1,868* | $131,923 | 0.03% |
| Kentucky | 48 | 1,488 | $109,165 | 0.09% |
| California | 79 | 1,378* | $163,832 | 0.01% |
| Colorado | 87 | 1,330* | $164,718 | 0.05% |
| North Dakota | 69 | 1,147 | $130,755 | 0.33% |
| West Virginia | 77 | 1,032* | $121,837 | 0.19% |
| Alaska | 12 | 1,018 | $178,330 | 0.39% |
| Kansas | 107 | 1,010* | $146,980 | 0.08% |
| Georgia | 55 | 966* | $140,536 | 0.02% |
| Illinois | 113 | 871* | $155,846 | 0.02% |
| Wyoming | 88 | 774* | $134,456 | 0.36% |
The 15 states with the most employees. Download the CSV for all 48.
Top metro areas
Metro and micro areas with the most Pipeline Transportation employees, 2023
Metro areas with the most employees
| Metro area | Locations | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 152 | 8,339* | $170,435 |
| Findlay, OH | 7 | 926* | $189,639 |
| Tulsa, OK | 25 | 796* | $229,916 |
| Owensboro, KY | 5 | 720 | $108,624 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 31 | 711* | $173,094 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 26 | 706* | $149,231 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 52 | 676* | $181,093 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 36 | 643* | $126,065 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 43 | 563* | $144,044 |
| Midland, TX | 38 | 540 | $132,746 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 15 | 527* | $210,131 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 29 | 523* | $158,803 |
| Charleston, WV | 12 | 510* | $128,604 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 52 | 507* | $165,373 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 22 | 496 | $158,264 |
Business size
US Pipeline Transportation business locations by number of employees, 2023
Locations by size
| Employees | Locations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 1,589 | 45.2% |
| 5 to 9 | 752 | 21.4% |
| 10 to 19 | 673 | 19.1% |
| 20 to 49 | 380 | 10.8% |
| 50 to 99 | 74 | 2.1% |
| 100 to 249 | 33 | 0.9% |
| 250 to 499 | 9 | 0.3% |
| 500 to 999 | 6 | 0.2% |
| 1,000 or more | Not published | - |
Related industries
Pipeline Transportation and the 3 industries directly below it
Part of Transportation and Warehousing 48-49
| Code | Industry | Employees | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4862 | Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | 24,190* | $147,843 |
| 4861 | Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | 11,939* | $153,021 |
| 4869 | Other Pipeline Transportation | 9,559* | $145,221 |
Questions and answers
How many people work in Pipeline Transportation in the US?
45,688 people worked at 3,517 US Pipeline Transportation business locations in 2023, up 2.6% from 2022. That is 0.03% of all US private-sector employees.
What is the average pay in Pipeline Transportation?
$148,648 a year per employee in 2023, from $6.8 billion in annual payroll (up 9.9% from 2022). The average across all US industries was $68,342.
Which state has the most Pipeline Transportation jobs?
Texas had the most, with 14,604 employees in 2023, followed by Louisiana (2,777) and Oklahoma (2,773).
Which metro areas have the most Pipeline Transportation jobs?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX (8,339), Findlay, OH (926), Tulsa, OK (796) had the most Pipeline Transportation employees in 2023.
Are most Pipeline Transportation businesses small?
85.7% of the 3,516 Pipeline Transportation business locations had fewer than 20 employees in 2023, and 6 had 500 or more.
Official US government statistics, published once a year. Business locations are places with paid employees; employees are counted in mid-March; payroll covers the whole year. Covers most private employers, not the self-employed, most government workers or farm workers on farms. * Less accurate: changed by 5% or more to protect privacy. Changes from the year before are shown only when both years use the same edition of the industry codes.