51
Gas Plant Operators is a notable career in the 51 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Gas Plant Operators against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
Education Administrators, All Other
11
Personal Service Managers, All Other
11
Managers, All Other
11
Buyers and Purchasing Agents
13
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
13
| soc | 51-8092 |
| title | Gas Plant Operators |
| onet code | 51-8092.00 |
| description | Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines. |
| job zone | 2 |
| major group | 51 |
| tot emp | 15,910 |
| a mean | 85,470 |
| a median | 83,400 |
| a pct10 | 59,040 |
| a pct25 | 73,150 |
| a pct75 | 100,000 |
| a pct90 | 109,350 |
| h mean | 41 |
| h median | 40 |
The day-to-day work of a gas plant operators typically centers on monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, and Monitoring. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.36 out of 5 — moderately weighted for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working gas plant operators, the most common entry qualification is a High School Diploma (58.4%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 0% of incumbents. Most workers enter without a four-year degree, making this a relatively accessible career path.
Median annual pay is highest in California at $124,980 and lowest in Kentucky at $62,920 — a 2.0× spread. The top five states (California, Connecticut, Oregon, Louisiana, New Jersey) average $109,716. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,980 | $118,680 | $80,120 | $136,130 | 630 |
| Connecticut | $107,400 | $106,950 | $98,280 | $113,810 | 90 |
| Oregon | $106,210 | $104,590 | $81,190 | $123,930 | 80 |
| Louisiana | $105,030 | $91,430 | $50,430 | $110,130 | 1,120 |
| New Jersey | $104,960 | $101,420 | $52,010 | $124,200 | 230 |
| Maryland | $104,340 | $90,760 | $48,040 | $104,440 | 140 |
| Massachusetts | $100,570 | $98,350 | $72,780 | $113,420 | 480 |
| Michigan | $98,320 | $94,860 | $67,380 | $106,120 | 480 |
| South Dakota | $98,170 | $94,230 | $78,070 | $98,240 | 80 |
| Illinois | $95,950 | $90,150 | $66,590 | $107,160 | 810 |
| Utah | $95,690 | $89,340 | $80,880 | $99,080 | 160 |
| Arizona | $94,900 | $90,850 | $77,270 | $98,400 | — |
| New Mexico | $94,050 | $88,740 | $62,990 | $108,190 | 250 |
| North Dakota | $93,910 | $89,320 | $72,950 | $104,850 | 160 |
| Colorado | $92,420 | $92,310 | $78,780 | $107,160 | 480 |
| New York | $91,100 | $91,720 | $69,120 | $110,080 | 220 |
| Georgia | $90,610 | $87,780 | $63,260 | $108,690 | 120 |
| Iowa | $89,070 | $87,250 | $67,600 | $97,800 | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $87,170 | $90,210 | $70,420 | $110,740 | 200 |
| Washington | $85,870 | $83,390 | $46,660 | $118,470 | 150 |
| Missouri | $84,980 | $83,200 | $58,170 | $93,610 | 310 |
| New Hampshire | $84,800 | $87,210 | $61,620 | $109,420 | 30 |
| Minnesota | $84,760 | $87,820 | $63,170 | $102,180 | 110 |
| Indiana | $83,420 | $81,810 | $45,160 | $107,030 | 180 |
| Texas | $82,760 | $82,470 | $60,340 | $101,190 | 1,590 |
| Nebraska | $82,290 | $85,490 | $75,840 | $98,940 | 190 |
| Arkansas | $81,310 | $80,290 | $45,180 | $102,200 | 260 |
| South Carolina | $81,000 | $71,110 | $43,610 | $88,350 | 270 |
| Wyoming | $80,760 | $86,190 | $64,810 | $114,810 | 690 |
| West Virginia | $79,710 | $78,360 | $59,200 | $89,740 | 410 |
| Mississippi | $79,530 | $75,080 | $49,530 | $90,110 | 450 |
| Virginia | $78,780 | $74,090 | $37,350 | $99,550 | — |
| Kansas | $78,110 | $81,210 | $65,000 | $102,710 | 380 |
| Montana | $77,630 | $80,880 | $61,610 | $97,750 | — |
| Idaho | $76,800 | $78,760 | $50,100 | $95,330 | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $76,570 | $75,520 | $60,700 | $96,160 | 980 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,070 | $75,180 | $58,950 | $88,010 | 780 |
| North Carolina | $75,140 | $77,170 | $59,490 | $103,990 | 270 |
| Ohio | $74,500 | $72,380 | $48,390 | $96,830 | 660 |
| Alabama | $73,270 | $70,100 | $38,860 | $83,620 | 250 |
| Florida | $71,490 | $69,550 | $48,340 | $95,360 | 170 |
| Tennessee | $64,670 | $72,580 | $49,860 | $96,590 | 340 |
| Kentucky | $62,920 | $65,900 | $44,100 | $91,840 | 290 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for gas plant operators. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Bulk Gas Specialist or Compressor Technician (Compressor Tech) frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Gas Plant Operators compares to others in the 51 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Gas Plant Operators
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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