Gas Plant Operators Salary
Production Occupations · 18K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$87,820
Median hourly
$42
Average annual
$88,710
Typical range
$61,350–$115,520
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Gas Plant Operators is $87,820 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $42 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines..
Most earn between $61,350 and $115,520 a year. There are roughly 18K people employed as gas plant operators in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Gas Plant Operators.
- Hourly
- $42.22
- Daily
- $338
- Weekly
- $1,689
- Bi-weekly
- $3,378
- Monthly
- $7,318
- Annual
- $87,820
$87,820 a year is around the 50th percentile for Gas Plant Operatorss. The median is $87,820.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1California$130,220
- 2New Jersey$110,900
- 3Oregon$109,760
- 4Connecticut$109,060
- 5Louisiana$108,350
- 6Arizona$104,600
- 7Massachusetts$103,830
- 8Maryland$102,950
- 9South Dakota$101,450
- 10Arkansas$100,870
- 11Michigan$100,500
- 12Minnesota$100,500
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$125,550
- 2Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$124,480
- 3New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$118,870
- 4Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$118,640
- 5Baton Rouge, LA$113,570
- 6Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$108,650
- 7Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$104,770
- 8Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$104,440
- 9Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$102,810
- 10Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$102,390
- 11Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$100,500
- 12Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$99,880
Related job titles
Employers advertise Gas Plant Operators roles under these titles.
- Bulk Gas Specialist
- Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech)
- Engine Room Operator
- Gas Controller
- Gas Distribution Plant Operator
- Gas Maker
- Gas Operator
- Gas Plant Dispatcher
- Gas Plant Operator
- Gas Plant Specialist
- Gas Plant Technician (Gas Plant Tech)
- Gas Processing Plant Operator
- Gas Producer
- Gas Resource Control Operator
- Gas Specialist
- Gas System Operator
Related occupations
- Power Plant Operators$102,040
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$96,710
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators$77,320
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$78,620
- Chemical Plant and System Operators$78,120
- Wellhead Pumpers$69,960
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers$106,730
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers$61,770
What a Gas Plant Operators does
- Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
- Control equipment to regulate flow and pressure of gas to feedlines of boilers, furnaces, and related steam-generating or heating equipment.
- Contact maintenance crews when necessary.
- Signal or direct workers who tend auxiliary equipment.
- Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
- Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.
- Adjust temperature, pressure, vacuum, level, flow rate, or transfer of gas to maintain processes at required levels or to correct problems.
- Collaborate with other operators to solve unit problems.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Gas Plant Operators make?
- The median annual wage for Gas Plant Operators is $87,820 ($42 per hour). Pay ranges from about $61,350 at the 10th percentile to $115,520 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Gas Plant Operators?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $88,710, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Gas Plant Operatorss the most?
- California has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $130,220.
- Is Gas Plant Operators a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 18K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Gas Plant Operators do?
- Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.; Control equipment to regulate flow and pressure of gas to feedlines of boilers, furnaces, and related steam-generating or heating equipment.; Contact maintenance crews when necessary..