Gas Plant Operators Career, Salary and Skills
Gas Plant Operators have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $87,820 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 18,030. Wage data is published for 94 locations.
Occupation description
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
O*NET code
51-8092.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$87,820
Hourly median
$42.22
Employment
18,030
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.12 | 4.38 |
| Operation and Control | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.25 | 3.50 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Writing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Distribute or process gas for utility companies or industrial plants, using panel boards, control boards, and semi-automatic equipment.
- 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.
- Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.
- Determine causes of abnormal pressure variances, and make corrective recommendations, such as installation of pipes to relieve overloading.
- 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.
- Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
Technology
- AspenTech HYSYS
- Google Android
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Operating log software
- Quorum PGAS
- SAP software
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Work scheduling software
Gas Plant Operators salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in TXMedian $79,910 · Employment 2,550
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in Houston, TXMedian $85,530 · Employment 1,510
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in PAMedian $80,810 · Employment 1,370
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in OKMedian $78,310 · Employment 970
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in CAMedian $130,220 · Employment 800
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in LAMedian $108,350 · Employment 800
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in NDMedian $96,760 · Employment 770
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in COMedian $98,080 · Employment 570
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in OHMedian $82,130 · Employment 570
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in MIMedian $100,500 · Employment 540
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in ILMedian $97,810 · Employment 530
- Gas Plant Operators Salary in IAMedian $92,970 · Employment 480
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.