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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

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)
15,110 3.7 % $ 37.01 $ 76,970 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Gas Plant Operators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 22.82 $ 29.53 $ 37.43 $ 46.25 $ 49.72
Annual Wage (2) $ 47,470 $ 61,410 $ 77,850 $ 96,200 $ 103,420


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 6,190 5.64 $ 37.41 $ 77,810
Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas 3,550 11.77 $ 37.41 $ 77,800
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,220 0.02 $ 26.42 $ 54,950
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 1,190 0.34 $ 48.97 $ 101,850
Oil and Gas Extraction 1,040 0.97 $ 34.00 $ 70,720

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 3,550 11.77 $ 37.41 $ 77,800
Natural Gas Distribution 6,190 5.64 $ 37.41 $ 77,810
Oil and Gas Extraction 1,040 0.97 $ 34.00 $ 70,720
Other Pipeline Transportation 30 0.41 $ 39.32 $ 81,790
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 1,190 0.34 $ 48.97 $ 101,850

Top paying industries for Gas Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 1,190 0.34 $ 48.97 $ 101,850
Management of Companies and Enterprises 330 0.01 $ 46.77 $ 97,290
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 110 0.11 $ 42.53 $ 88,450
Other Pipeline Transportation 30 0.41 $ 39.32 $ 81,790
Natural Gas Distribution 6,190 5.64 $ 37.41 $ 77,810


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 2021


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 2,410 0.20 1.84 $ 42.70 $ 88,820
Pennsylvania 1,600 0.29 2.67 $ 34.55 $ 71,870
Oklahoma 800 0.51 4.79 $ 34.52 $ 71,800
Florida 790 0.09 0.86 $ 22.86 $ 47,550
California 790 0.05 0.44 $ 48.52 $ 100,920


Map of location quotient of gas plant operators by state, May 2021


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)
North Dakota 740 1.87 17.45 $ 42.96 $ 89,350
Wyoming 380 1.44 13.46 $ 38.48 $ 80,030
Oklahoma 800 0.51 4.79 $ 34.52 $ 71,800
New Mexico 300 0.39 3.64 $ 30.84 $ 64,150
Pennsylvania 1,600 0.29 2.67 $ 34.55 $ 71,870


Map of annual mean wages of gas plant operators by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Gas Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utah (8) (8) (8) $ 52.02 $ 108,200
California 790 0.05 0.44 $ 48.52 $ 100,920
New Jersey 260 0.07 0.64 $ 46.69 $ 97,120
Massachusetts 80 0.02 0.21 $ 45.23 $ 94,080
New York 280 0.03 0.30 $ 44.98 $ 93,550



Map of employment of gas plant operators by area, May 2021


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 1,170 0.40 3.75 $ 46.67 $ 97,080
Pittsburgh, PA 460 0.45 4.15 $ 35.68 $ 74,210
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 400 0.05 0.43 $ 47.89 $ 99,600
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 380 0.07 0.62 $ 47.48 $ 98,750
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 290 0.07 0.65 $ 32.24 $ 67,060
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 270 0.10 0.94 $ 35.75 $ 74,370
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 270 0.07 0.69 $ 40.09 $ 83,380
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 230 0.13 1.21 $ 41.75 $ 86,830
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 230 0.18 1.68 $ 22.50 $ 46,810
Tulsa, OK 230 0.54 5.06 $ 36.20 $ 75,300


Map of location quotient of gas plant operators by area, May 2021


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)
Williamsport, PA 50 0.98 9.10 $ 36.50 $ 75,920
Casper, WY 30 0.87 8.12 $ 36.75 $ 76,440
Corpus Christi, TX 130 0.73 6.82 $ 44.88 $ 93,360
Tuscaloosa, AL 70 0.69 6.41 $ 34.94 $ 72,670
Midland, TX 60 0.59 5.47 $ 33.97 $ 70,650
Tulsa, OK 230 0.54 5.06 $ 36.20 $ 75,300
Pittsburgh, PA 460 0.45 4.15 $ 35.68 $ 74,210
Baton Rouge, LA 160 0.42 3.96 $ 33.38 $ 69,420
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,170 0.40 3.75 $ 46.67 $ 97,080
Columbia, SC 130 0.36 3.35 $ 30.92 $ 64,310


Map of annual mean wages of gas plant operators by area, May 2021


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)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 400 0.05 0.43 $ 47.89 $ 99,600
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 380 0.07 0.62 $ 47.48 $ 98,750
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,170 0.40 3.75 $ 46.67 $ 97,080
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 40 0.03 0.26 $ 46.23 $ 96,160
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 60 0.04 0.37 $ 45.75 $ 95,170
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 60 0.02 0.22 $ 45.29 $ 94,200
Corpus Christi, TX 130 0.73 6.82 $ 44.88 $ 93,360
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 100 0.06 0.51 $ 43.03 $ 89,500
Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI 50 0.10 0.90 $ 42.31 $ 87,990
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 230 0.13 1.21 $ 41.75 $ 86,830

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)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 720 6.77 63.15 $ 43.18 $ 89,810
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 240 2.50 23.33 $ 39.71 $ 82,590
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 220 1.48 13.79 $ 32.77 $ 68,160
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 190 1.28 11.96 $ 32.27 $ 67,130
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 180 0.47 4.38 $ 32.98 $ 68,600

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)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 720 6.77 63.15 $ 43.18 $ 89,810
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 240 2.50 23.33 $ 39.71 $ 82,590
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 220 1.48 13.79 $ 32.77 $ 68,160
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 130 1.37 12.76 $ 33.44 $ 69,560
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 100 1.30 12.13 $ 36.50 $ 75,920

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)
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 720 6.77 63.15 $ 43.18 $ 89,810
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 30 0.12 1.12 $ 41.35 $ 86,000
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 240 2.50 23.33 $ 39.71 $ 82,590
Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area 60 0.57 5.29 $ 39.26 $ 81,660
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 30 0.18 1.67 $ 39.16 $ 81,460


About May 2021 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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022