Gas Plant Operators earn a median of $87,820 per year ($42.22/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 6.0% through 2035, with about 1,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-8092
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Gas Plant Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $87,820a year, or $42.22/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $61KTop 10% $116K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -6.0%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,40018,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.2K
- Projected 203517.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.2K Projected 2035 17.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school58.4%
- Certificate31.1%
- Associate's10.5%
Highest education held by gas plant operators Segment Value High school 58.4% Certificate 31.1% Associate's 10.5%
Also advertised as: Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech), Engine Room Operator, Gas Controller, Gas Dispatcher, Gas Plant Operator, Gas Resource Control Operator.
Pay
How much do Gas Plant Operators make?
Every gas plant operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$87,820
Middle half earn $76,870 to $100,870
- 10th
- $61,350
- 25th
- $76,870
- 75th
- $100,870
- 90th
- $115,520
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,350 |
| 25th | $76,870 |
| Median | $87,820 |
| 75th | $100,870 |
| 90th | $115,520 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $87,820
- Median hourly wage
- $42.22/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $88,710
- People employed
- 18,030
Versus all US occupations
At $87,820, Gas Plant Operators earn 72% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $36,840 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 83% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $115,520 or more while the bottom 10% earn $61,350, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 65% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($130,220), but once local prices are taken into account Louisiana leads at $122,836 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Gas Plant Operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $130,220 | $117,612 | 800 |
| 2New Jersey | $110,900 | $101,925 | 190 |
| 3Oregon | $109,760 | $106,191 | 70 |
| 4Connecticut | $109,060 | $105,260 | N/A |
| 5Louisiana | $108,350 | $122,836 | 800 |
| 6Arizona | $104,600 | $103,897 | 140 |
| 7Massachusetts | $103,830 | $98,178 | 340 |
| 8Maryland | $102,950 | $98,086 | 180 |
| 9South Dakota | $101,450 | $114,521 | 90 |
| 10Arkansas | $100,870 | $116,027 | 400 |
Job outlook
Is Gas Plant Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -6.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Gas Plant Operators | −6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Gas Plant Operators to change -6.0% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,400 openings are projected each year, 7.7% of the 18,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Gas Plant Operator
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as gas plant operators.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)58.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate31.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree10.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 58.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 31.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 10.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Gas Plant Operator do?
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
Day-to-day tasks
- Contact maintenance crews when necessary.
- Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.
- Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems.
- Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
- Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
- Read logsheets to determine product demand and disposition, or to detect malfunctions.
- Start and shut down plant equipment.
- Determine causes of abnormal pressure variances, and make corrective recommendations, such as installation of pipes to relieve overloading.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.6
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Writing3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Mathematics2.9
- Active Learning2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring4.1
- Operation and Control3.8
- Quality Control Analysis3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Coordination3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Time Management3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.1 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Industrial control software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Gas Plant Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Gas Plant Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.7
- Conventional5.2
- Investigative2.6
- Enterprising2.3
- Social1.5
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Gas Plant Operator
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Production
Petroleum Pump System Operator, Refinery Operator, and Gauger
$96,710median a year
Most earn $57K to $116K
−1.9%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operator
$77,320median a year
Most earn $46K to $100K
+2.1%High school - Production
- Production
- Production
More production careers
Median annual pay, with gas plant operators highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Gas Plant Operator$87,820
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Gas Plant Operator | $87,820 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Gas Plant Operator appears on
Questions
Gas Plant Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Gas Plant Operators make?
Gas Plant Operators earn a median of $87,820 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 72% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $42.22/hr. The middle half earn between $76,870 and $100,870. The top 10% earn $115,520 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Gas Plant Operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Gas Plant Operators. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 58.4% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Gas Plant Operator a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 6.0% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Gas Plant Operator do?
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines. A core O*NET task: contact maintenance crews when necessary. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Gas Plant Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Gas Plant Operators are California ($130,220), New Jersey ($110,900), Oregon ($109,760) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Louisiana moves to the top at $122,836.
What personality type suits a Gas Plant Operator?
O*NET scores Gas Plant Operators highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.