What are the main factors that influence a Gas Plant Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Gas Plant Operator's salary?

A Gas Plant Operator's salary grows with experience: a Power Plant Operator I (0-1 years)earns $71,717, a Gas Plant Operator (1-3 years)earns $83,426, a Power Plant Operator III (3-5 years)earns $93,712, a Power Plant Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $108,463, a Power Plant Operations Shift Supervisor I (7+ years)earns $125,273,

What are the highest paying states for a Gas Plant Operator?

Gas Plant Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Gas Plant Operator roles are District of Columbia $91,048, California $90,703, Massachusetts $89,494. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Gas Plant Operator roles make?

Salaries for Gas Plant Operator level roles vary by specialization: Natural Gas Plant Operator: $79,494; Gas Plant Operator IV: $78,065; Gas System Operator III: $71,000; Gas Plant Operator III: $70,937; Gas System Operator II: $62,700.

How do different companies affect a Gas Plant Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Gas Plant Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc ($126,909) and GE Renewable Energy ($121,776) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $76,117.

Gas Plant Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Gas Plant Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Gas Plant Operator in the United States is $82,233 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

However, a Gas Plant Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,223
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $76,504 to $92,173
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $71,287

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Gas Plant Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$92,173	$7,681	$1,773	$44
Average	$82,233	$6,853	$1,581	$40
25th Percentile	$76,504	$6,375	$1,471	$37

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Key Factors That Influence Gas Plant Operator Salaries

A Gas Plant Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Gas Plant Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Gas Plant Operator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,717
Early Career (1-2 years): $83,426
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,712
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $108,463
Expert (over 8 years): $125,273

Levels	Salary
Power Pla... Level Gas Plant Operator	$71,717
Gas Plant... Level Gas Plant Operator	$83,426
Power Pla... Level Gas Plant Operator	$93,712
Power Pla... Level Gas Plant Operator	$108,463
Power Pla... Level Gas Plant Operator	$125,273

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Gas Plant Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Gas Plant Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $91,048.
California: $90,703.
Massachusetts: $89,494.

District of Columbia $91,048 California $90,703 Massachusetts $89,494 Washington $89,165 New Jersey $89,132 Alaska $89,017 Connecticut $87,882 New York $87,421

Hawaii $85,950 Rhode Island $85,259 Maryland $84,790 Minnesota $84,149 Colorado $83,902 Illinois $83,820 Oregon $83,507 Delaware $83,277

New Hampshire $83,132 Virginia $82,808 Pennsylvania $81,863 Nevada $81,386 North Dakota $81,229 Michigan $80,983 Wisconsin $80,892 Vermont $80,711

Texas $80,210 Maine $80,177 Arizona $80,127 Ohio $80,070 Georgia $79,313 Indiana $78,935 Wyoming $78,861 Utah $78,746

Iowa $78,697 Kansas $78,302 Louisiana $78,187 North Carolina $78,146 Missouri $78,129 Florida $77,808 Montana $77,636 Nebraska $77,471

Kentucky $77,381 South Carolina $77,052 Tennessee $76,846 Idaho $76,764 New Mexico $76,164 Oklahoma $76,032 Alabama $75,547 South Dakota $74,733

Arkansas $74,289 West Virginia $74,050 Mississippi $73,335

Top Paying Cities for Gas Plant Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $103,720
San Francisco: $102,700
Oakland: $100,422

San Jose, CA $103,720

San Francisco, CA $102,700

Oakland, CA $100,422

New York, NY $95,299

Queens Village, NY $94,683

Paramus, NJ $94,025

Passaic, NJ $93,943

Bergenfield, NJ $93,860

Stamford, CT $93,737

Huntington, NY $93,655

Newark, NJ $93,120

Bridgeport, CT $92,956

New Brunswick, NJ $92,684

Vallejo, CA $92,512

Middlesex, NJ $92,462

Somerset, NJ $92,388

Petaluma, CA $92,199

Santa Cruz, CA $91,878

Boston, MA $91,714

Monterey, CA $91,303

Fairbanks, AK $91,245

Los Angeles, CA $91,089

Washington, DC $91,048

Seattle, WA $90,900

Santa Rosa, CA $90,883

Juneau, AK $90,645

Orange, CA $90,374

Anchorage, AK $90,226

Anaheim, CA $90,168

Santa Ana, CA $90,045

Nassau, NY $89,995

Long Beach, CA $89,962

Danbury, CT $89,938

Santa Maria, CA $89,658

Everett, WA $89,642

Bremerton, WA $89,239

Trenton, NJ $89,083

Sacramento, CA $89,050

San Diego, CA $89,009

Brockton, MA $88,976

Tacoma, WA $88,943

Santa Barbara, CA $88,828

Lowell, MA $88,499

New Suffolk, NY $88,466

Nashua, NH $88,367

Lompoc, CA $88,236

Ventura, CA $88,153

Stockton, CA $88,129

New Haven, CT $87,964

Atlantic City, NJ $87,750

Hartford, CT $87,569

Modesto, CA $87,528

Poughkeepsie, NY $87,347

New Britain, CT $87,306

Olympia, WA $87,191

Kennewick, WA $87,191

New London, CT $87,175

Norwich, CT $87,150

Lawrence, MA $87,109

Bakersfield, CA $86,879

Riverside, CA $86,764

New Bedford, MA $86,764

Richland, WA $86,681

Portsmouth, NH $86,616

Vineland, NJ $86,599

San Bernardino, CA $86,533

Boulder, CO $86,303

Worcester, MA $86,237

Portland, OR $86,163

Saint Paul, MN $86,065

Minneapolis, MN $86,065

Philadelphia, PA $85,950

Honolulu, HI $85,514

Springfield, MA $85,226

Providence, RI $85,218

Chicago, IL $84,979

Bellingham, WA $84,880

Baltimore, MD $84,790

Chico, CA $84,584

Wilmington, DE $84,445

Pittsfield, MA $84,362

Manchester, NH $84,206

Spokane, WA $83,844

Denver, CO $83,836

Albany, NY $83,450

Troy, NY $83,417

Schenectady, NY $83,244

Burlington, VT $83,063

Portland, ME $82,775

Salem, OR $82,710

Yakima, WA $82,693

Ann Arbor, MI $82,668

Rochester, MN $82,438

Fresno, CA $82,397

Reno, NV $82,397

Milwaukee, WI $82,323

Detroit, MI $82,241

Allentown, PA $82,216

Carson City, NV $82,208

Houston, TX $82,085

Colorado Springs, CO $82,076

Syracuse, NY $82,035

Eugene, OR $81,879

Bismarck, ND $81,780

Gary, IN $81,780

Galveston, TX $81,780

Springfield, OR $81,715

Medford, OR $81,517

Fort Collins, CO $81,484

Austin, TX $81,418

Mesa, AZ $81,246

Phoenix, AZ $81,229

Dallas, TX $81,205

Reading, PA $81,155

Saint Cloud, MN $81,122

Concord, NH $81,048

Madison, WI $81,016

Utica, NY $80,794

Raleigh, NC $80,728

Las Vegas, NV $80,720

Rochester, NY $80,662

Des Moines, IA $80,654

Atlanta, GA $80,522

Battle Creek, MI $80,497

Salt Lake City, UT $80,473

Lancaster, PA $80,349

Champaign, IL $80,333

Harrisburg, PA $80,234

Durham, NC $80,160

Kansas City, MO $80,152

Kansas City, KS $80,136

Fort Worth, TX $80,127

Boca Raton, FL $80,095

Cleveland, OH $80,086

Columbus, OH $80,070

Pittsburgh, PA $80,062

Richmond, VA $80,029

Indianapolis, IN $80,012

Cincinnati, OH $79,905

Petersburg, VA $79,782

Billings, MT $79,601

Lansing, MI $79,601

Huntsville, AL $79,601

Lebanon, PA $79,593

Dayton, OH $79,585

Pueblo, CO $79,585

Appleton, WI $79,560

Buffalo, NY $79,527

Racine, WI $79,486

Charlotte, NC $79,478

Saint Louis, MO $79,453

Springfield, IL $79,420

Elkhart, IN $79,404

York, PA $79,404

Gastonia, NC $79,396

Benton Harbor, MI $79,396

Beaumont, TX $79,346

Lorain, OH $79,330

Toledo, OH $79,297

Binghamton, NY $79,256

Rock Hill, SC $79,248

Rockford, IL $79,206

Fargo, ND $79,165

Elyria, OH $79,165

Flagstaff, AZ $79,108

Fort Lauderdale, FL $79,058

Miami, FL $79,009

Duluth, MN $78,878

Bangor, ME $78,771

Cedar Rapids, IA $78,680

Louisville, KY $78,639

Grand Rapids, MI $78,623

Hialeah, FL $78,614

Casper, WY $78,499

Scranton, PA $78,401

New Orleans, LA $78,376

Virginia Beach, VA $78,368

Akron, OH $78,327

Peoria, IL $78,220

Sarasota, FL $78,203

Green Bay, WI $78,146

Baton Rouge, LA $78,105

Charleston, SC $78,088

Nashville, TN $78,063

Jamestown, NY $78,047

Davenport, IA $78,047

Tucson, AZ $78,006

Cheyenne, WY $77,981

Saint Petersburg, FL $77,957

Tampa, FL $77,940

Omaha, NE $77,924

Port Arthur, TX $77,891

Evansville, IN $77,891

Bradenton, FL $77,858

Santa Fe, NM $77,710

Orlando, FL $77,628

Clearwater, FL $77,537

Canton, OH $77,364

La Crosse, WI $77,364

Grand Forks, ND $77,340

Albuquerque, NM $77,315

Tulsa, OK $77,315

Newport News, VA $77,307

High Point, NC $77,282

Ogden, UT $77,249

Corpus Christi, TX $77,184

Laramie, WY $77,134

Norfolk, VA $77,134

Rock Island, IL $77,085

Saginaw, MI $77,068

Jacksonville, FL $77,060

Salisbury, NC $77,044

Memphis, TN $77,027

Moline, IL $76,986

Fort Myers, FL $76,961

Waterloo, IA $76,855

Spartanburg, SC $76,772

Lincoln, NE $76,731

Fort Wayne, IN $76,715

Birmingham, AL $76,624

Cedar Falls, IA $76,608

Provo, UT $76,600

Springfield, OH $76,591

San Antonio, TX $76,575

Greensboro, NC $76,542

South Bend, IN $76,534

Winston Salem, NC $76,526

Boise, ID $76,501

Savannah, GA $76,443

Muskegon, MI $76,295

Lima, OH $76,197

Lake Charles, LA $76,164

Anderson, IN $76,147

Lexington, KY $76,123

Augusta, GA $76,098

Greenville, SC $76,098

Wichita, KS $76,024

Tuscaloosa, AL $76,024

Columbia, SC $75,950

Bloomington, IN $75,744

Roanoke, VA $75,695

Asheville, NC $75,588

Knoxville, TN $75,448

Shreveport, LA $75,440

Wilmington, NC $75,333

Frankfort, KY $75,177

Oklahoma City, OK $75,119

Chillicothe, OH $75,087

Longview, TX $75,078

Topeka, KS $75,054

Mobile, AL $74,930

Terre Haute, IN $74,897

Erie, PA $74,889

Altoona, PA $74,848

Melbourne, FL $74,823

Amarillo, TX $74,791

Killeen, TX $74,766

Fayetteville, AR $74,700

Sioux Falls, SD $74,643

Chattanooga, TN $74,593

Idaho Falls, ID $74,585

Gainesville, FL $74,412

Portsmouth, OH $74,371

Little Rock, AR $74,355

Lynchburg, VA $74,355

Lafayette, LA $74,322

Youngstown, OH $74,322

Temple, TX $74,289

Daytona Beach, FL $74,272

Clarksville, TN $74,264

Pensacola, FL $74,256

Hopkinsville, KY $74,009

Charleston, WV $74,001

Florence, SC $73,960

Sioux City, IA $73,911

Macon, GA $73,672

Tallahassee, FL $73,664

Fayetteville, NC $73,648

Waco, TX $73,631

Wichita Falls, TX $73,631

Pine Bluff, AR $73,598

Vincennes, IN $73,442

Lubbock, TX $73,409

Great Falls, MT $73,360

Alamogordo, NM $73,351

Abilene, TX $73,286

Rapid City, SD $73,179

Monroe, LA $73,179

Albany, GA $73,129

Huntington, WV $73,121

Jackson, MS $73,113

Greenville, MS $73,105

Parkersburg, WV $73,023

Montgomery, AL $73,006

Johnstown, PA $72,990

Springfield, MO $72,924

Biloxi, MS $72,883

Sumter, SC $72,710

Columbus, GA $72,702

Twin Falls, ID $72,653

Pascagoula, MS $72,546

Kingsport, TN $72,332

Gulfport, MS $72,307

Alexandria, LA $72,036

Fort Smith, AR $71,830

El Paso, TX $71,608

Helena, MT $71,501

Las Cruces, NM $71,238

Harlingen, TX $71,008

Pocatello, ID $70,934

Florence, AL $70,909

Brownsville, TX $70,893

Dothan, AL $70,761

Mcallen, TX $70,720

Columbus, MS $70,112

Altus, OK $69,733

Lawton, OK $69,577

Pierre, SD $69,281

What Skills Can Increase a Gas Plant Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.86% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Healthcare Facilities Management (Mentioned in 5.23% Job Postings): Developing and implementing facility plans and processes while coordinating assets, resources, and people to ensure excellent healthcare services.
Control Structure (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): Control Structures are the blocks that analyze variables and choose directions in which to go based on given parameters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	4.86%
Healthcare Facilities Management	5.23%
Control Structure	4.05%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Gas Plant Operator's salary.

Team Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Mechanical Systems: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
HVAC: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Team Operations	$87,167	6%
Mechanical Systems	$85,522	4%
HVAC	$85,522	4%
Collaboration	$85,522	4%
Leadership	$84,700	3%
Standard Operating Procedures	$83,877	2%

Get Latest Data

Gas Plant Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Gas Plant Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$76,504

Average $82,233/year

$92,173

$6,375

Average $6,853/month

$7,681

$1,471

Average $1,581/week

$1,773

$37

Average $40/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$92,173	$7,681	$1,773	$44
Average	$82,233	$6,853	$1,581	$40
25th Percentile	$76,504	$6,375	$1,471	$37

Salaries of jobs related to Gas Plant Operator

Salary Trends for Gas Plant Operator

Salaries for a Gas Plant Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $75,416 in 2023 to around $74,589 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Gas Plant Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Gas Plant Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$75,416

2024

$75,237

2025

$74,589

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$75,416
2024	$75,237
2025	$74,589
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Gas Plant Operator

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