Average Salary for Gas Plant Operators
SOC 51-8092 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Gas Plant Operators in the United States is $83,400 ($40.10/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $59,040 at the 10th percentile to $109,350 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 15,910 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 30.1% since 2014.
Median Annual
$83,400
Mean Annual
$85,470
10th Pct
$59,040
75th Pct
$100,000
Employment
15,910
Salary Distribution
$59k
10th
$73k
25th
$83k
Median
$100k
75th
$109k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $126,640 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $124,100 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $107,810 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $105,030 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $104,810 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $104,590 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $104,370 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $96,900 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $95,590 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $95,370 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $94,990 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $94,150 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $93,850 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $92,420 |
| Greeley, CO | $90,370 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| California | $124,980 |
| Connecticut | $107,400 |
| Oregon | $106,210 |
| Louisiana | $105,030 |
| New Jersey | $104,960 |
| Maryland | $104,340 |
| Massachusetts | $100,570 |
| Michigan | $98,320 |
| South Dakota | $98,170 |
| Illinois | $95,950 |
| Utah | $95,690 |
| Arizona | $94,900 |
| New Mexico | $94,050 |
| North Dakota | $93,910 |
| Colorado | $92,420 |
| New York | $91,100 |
| Georgia | $90,610 |
| Iowa | $89,070 |
| Wisconsin | $87,170 |
| Washington | $85,870 |
| Missouri | $84,980 |
| New Hampshire | $84,800 |
| Minnesota | $84,760 |
| Indiana | $83,420 |
| Texas | $82,760 |
| Nebraska | $82,290 |
| Arkansas | $81,310 |
| South Carolina | $81,000 |
| Wyoming | $80,760 |
| West Virginia | $79,710 |
| Mississippi | $79,530 |
| Virginia | $78,780 |
| Kansas | $78,110 |
| Montana | $77,630 |
| Idaho | $76,800 |
| Oklahoma | $76,570 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,070 |
| North Carolina | $75,140 |
| Ohio | $74,500 |
| Alabama | $73,270 |
| Florida | $71,490 |
| Tennessee | $64,670 |
| Kentucky | $62,920 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Gas Plant Operators broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | $105,030 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $95,740 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $95,640 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $89,410 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $89,410 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $89,410 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $87,420 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $87,420 |
| Utilities | $84,980 |
| Utilities | $84,980 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $84,360 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | $83,850 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil | $82,850 |
| Pipeline Transportation | $82,680 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $82,680 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $82,110 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | $81,750 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $78,940 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $76,770 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $67,380 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $67,380 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,430 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $63,430 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $63,430 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $63,430 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $63,430 |
| Waste Collection | $61,130 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $60,990 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | $60,990 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $60,420 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $55,220 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $55,220 |
| Wholesale Trade | $54,670 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $51,590 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $51,590 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $83,400 |
| 2023 | $82,560 |
| 2022 | $79,460 |
| 2021 | $77,850 |
| 2020 | $72,970 |
| 2019 | $70,710 |
| 2018 | $71,070 |
| 2017 | $69,030 |
| 2016 | $67,580 |
| 2015 | $66,010 |
| 2014 | $64,100 |