---
title: "Refinery & Process Operator Programs in Wheeling, WV"
canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/west-virginia/wheeling/
description: "3 listed process operator programs in Wheeling, WV. Wheeling, WV-OH BLS average pay $82,950 (all experience levels), median $81,090."
updated: 2026-11-03
wage_source: "BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15"
---

1. [Home](https://highpayingtrades.com/)
2. [Trades](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/)
3. [Refinery & Process Operator](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/)
4. [West Virginia](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/west-virginia/)
5. Wheeling
 Wheeling, WV

# Refinery & Process Operator programs in *Wheeling*

3 listed programs in Wheeling, with local metro pay data from BLS.

- **$82,950** Average pay (metro, all experience levels)
- **$81,090** Entry-level / bottom 10%
- **$81,090** Median pay (metro)
- **$91,440** Top 10% earn over

3 listed programs in Wheeling · 9 in West Virginia. Average = BLS mean across all experience levels, not starting pay. Pay: Wheeling, WV-OH, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

Programs

## Listed programs in Wheeling

| Program / provider | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [West Virginia Northern Community College](https://www.wvncc.edu/) Petroleum Technology/Technician | Certificate (1-2 years) | 5 | $4,917–$13,317 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 15.0903 |
| [West Virginia Northern Community College](https://www.wvncc.edu/) Petroleum Technology/Technician | Associate degree | 2 | $4,917–$13,317 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 15.0903 |
| [West Virginia Northern Community College](https://www.wvncc.edu/) Chemical Technology/Technician | Associate degree | 0 | $4,917–$13,317 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 41.0301 |
Schools: NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code; “Graduates 2023-24” is the number of first-major certificates or associate degrees the school awarded in that program from July 2023 to June 2024 (IPEDS). Tuition: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (updated 2026-10-15), matched by IPEDS unit ID; it is the published figure, not a quote. Apprenticeship sponsors: DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file (retrieved 2026-10-29); apprenticeships are typically paid, so no tuition is listed — contact the program.

BLS wage data

## Refinery & Process Operator pay near Wheeling

Metro-area wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $81,090 | $81,090 | $81,090 | $86,430 | $91,440 | $82,950 | 50 |
| West Virginia | $72,430 | $81,090 | $83,910 | $89,570 | $97,400 | $85,280 | 330 |
| United States | $57,110 | $77,510 | $96,710 | $106,320 | $115,880 | $90,630 | 33,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

[All process operator programs in West Virginia →](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/west-virginia/)

Related resources

## Keep researching

[**Registered apprenticeships in West Virginia** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/wv/) [**Trade schools approved for the GI Bill** Search programs that accept VA education benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.com](https://veterantradeschools.com/)

## Sources

- **Wages:** U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 ([news release USDL-26-0725](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm); [data tables](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm)). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- **Occupation:** O\*NET OnLine, [51-8093.00 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-8093.00), retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- **Apprenticeship sponsors:** U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 ([Partner Finder](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/partner-finder)).
- **Schools & graduates:** U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024\_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code ([completions file](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/data/C2024_A.zip); [CIP-SOC crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Files/CIP2020_SOC2018_Crosswalk.xlsx)).
- **Tuition:** U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID ([source](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/)).

Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.

---
Canonical HTML: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/west-virginia/wheeling/
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). Programs: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions; DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Tuition: College Scorecard.