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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

51-8092 Gas Plant Operators

Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.


National estimates for Gas Plant Operators
Industry profile for Gas Plant Operators
Geographic profile for Gas Plant Operators

National estimates for Gas Plant Operators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Gas Plant Operators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
15,930 4.3 % $ 39.91 $ 83,020 0.9 %

Percentile wage estimates for Gas Plant Operators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 25.64 $ 31.85 $ 39.69 $ 47.68 $ 52.09
Annual Wage (2) $ 53,330 $ 66,250 $ 82,560 $ 99,180 $ 108,340


Industry profile for Gas Plant Operators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Gas Plant Operators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Gas Plant Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Gas Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 6,220 5.53 $ 39.73 $ 82,640
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 4,130 12.58 $ 40.65 $ 84,560
Oil and Gas Extraction 1,400 1.29 $ 41.30 $ 85,910
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,270 0.02 $ 29.85 $ 62,100
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 830 0.21 $ 44.80 $ 93,180

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Gas Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 4,130 12.58 $ 40.65 $ 84,560
Natural Gas Distribution 6,220 5.53 $ 39.73 $ 82,640
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 280 2.37 $ 46.32 $ 96,350
Oil and Gas Extraction 1,400 1.29 $ 41.30 $ 85,910
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 830 0.21 $ 44.80 $ 93,180

Top paying industries for Gas Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 280 2.37 $ 46.32 $ 96,350
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 830 0.21 $ 44.80 $ 93,180
Management of Companies and Enterprises 400 0.01 $ 41.73 $ 86,810
Oil and Gas Extraction 1,400 1.29 $ 41.30 $ 85,910
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 4,130 12.58 $ 40.65 $ 84,560


Geographic profile for Gas Plant Operators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Gas Plant Operators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Gas Plant Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of gas plant operators by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Gas Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 1,430 0.11 1.01 $ 41.75 $ 86,830
Louisiana 1,320 0.71 6.78 $ 43.41 $ 90,280
Pennsylvania 790 0.13 1.27 $ 37.25 $ 77,480
California 750 0.04 0.40 $ 53.43 $ 111,140
Illinois 750 0.13 1.19 $ 39.73 $ 82,630


Map of location quotient of gas plant operators by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Gas Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wyoming 540 1.96 18.72 $ 41.26 $ 85,810
North Dakota 530 1.27 12.07 $ 47.51 $ 98,810
West Virginia 550 0.80 7.62 $ 34.45 $ 71,660
Louisiana 1,320 0.71 6.78 $ 43.41 $ 90,280
Oklahoma 540 0.32 3.07 $ 35.92 $ 74,710


Map of annual mean wages of gas plant operators by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Gas Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska (8) (8) (8) $ 60.14 $ 125,100
California 750 0.04 0.40 $ 53.43 $ 111,140
North Dakota 530 1.27 12.07 $ 47.51 $ 98,810
Michigan 480 0.11 1.05 $ 45.58 $ 94,800
Washington 160 0.04 0.43 $ 45.32 $ 94,270



Map of employment of gas plant operators by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Gas Plant Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 610 0.19 1.83 $ 42.45 $ 88,290
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 590 0.13 1.25 $ 40.89 $ 85,040
St. Louis, MO-IL 340 0.26 2.43 $ 38.98 $ 81,080
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 250 0.16 1.50 $ 45.59 $ 94,830
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 240 0.08 0.75 $ 43.98 $ 91,480
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 240 0.04 0.37 $ 55.56 $ 115,550
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 240 0.02 0.24 $ 46.79 $ 97,330
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 210 0.11 1.04 $ 46.27 $ 96,250
Pittsburgh, PA 200 0.19 1.78 $ 37.87 $ 78,780
Tulsa, OK 190 0.42 4.02 $ 36.11 $ 75,120


Map of location quotient of gas plant operators by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Gas Plant Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Wheeling, WV-OH 70 1.18 11.24 $ 33.76 $ 70,220
Charleston, WV 90 0.85 8.13 $ 35.79 $ 74,430
Tulsa, OK 190 0.42 4.02 $ 36.11 $ 75,120
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 40 0.31 2.95 $ 32.80 $ 68,220
Charlottesville, VA 30 0.30 2.86 $ 34.85 $ 72,480
Baton Rouge, LA 110 0.27 2.62 (8) (8)
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA 100 0.26 2.47 $ 41.82 $ 86,990
St. Louis, MO-IL 340 0.26 2.43 $ 38.98 $ 81,080
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 120 0.24 2.25 $ 46.71 $ 97,170
Birmingham-Hoover, AL 120 0.23 2.17 $ 34.91 $ 72,600


Map of annual mean wages of gas plant operators by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Gas Plant Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 240 0.04 0.37 $ 55.56 $ 115,550
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 110 0.07 0.65 $ 55.04 $ 114,470
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 50 0.02 0.22 $ 49.84 $ 103,670
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 70 0.12 1.17 $ 47.19 $ 98,150
Lake Charles, LA (8) (8) (8) $ 46.88 $ 97,520
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 240 0.02 0.24 $ 46.79 $ 97,330
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 120 0.24 2.25 $ 46.71 $ 97,170
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 210 0.11 1.04 $ 46.27 $ 96,250
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 130 0.07 0.66 $ 46.19 $ 96,080
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 250 0.16 1.50 $ 45.59 $ 94,830

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Gas Plant Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 340 3.41 32.47 $ 41.93 $ 87,210
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 1.87 17.82 $ 33.97 $ 70,660
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 190 1.17 11.16 $ 40.36 $ 83,940
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 160 0.41 3.88 $ 34.74 $ 72,270
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 150 1.79 17.03 $ 40.43 $ 84,090

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Gas Plant Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 340 3.41 32.47 $ 41.93 $ 87,210
Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 250 1.87 17.82 $ 33.97 $ 70,660
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 150 1.79 17.03 $ 40.43 $ 84,090
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 190 1.17 11.16 $ 40.36 $ 83,940
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 120 0.87 8.26 $ 29.18 $ 60,690

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Gas Plant Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 340 3.41 32.47 $ 41.93 $ 87,210
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.56 5.30 $ 41.85 $ 87,050
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 150 1.79 17.03 $ 40.43 $ 84,090
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 190 1.17 11.16 $ 40.36 $ 83,940
South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area 50 0.36 3.47 $ 39.97 $ 83,130


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024