How much does a Compressor Operator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Compressor Operator in the United States is $44,943 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.
However, a Compressor Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $53,470
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,144 to $49,406
Key Factors That Influence Compressor Operator Salaries
A Compressor 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, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Compressor Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Compressor 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:
How Do Compressor 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 Compressor Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $49,761.
California: $49,572.
Massachusetts: $48,911.
District of Columbia$49,761
California$49,572
Massachusetts$48,911
Washington$48,731
New Jersey$48,713
Alaska$48,650
Connecticut$48,030
New York$47,779
Hawaii$46,974
Rhode Island$46,597
Maryland$46,340
Minnesota$45,990
Colorado$45,855
Illinois$45,810
Oregon$45,639
Delaware$45,513
New Hampshire$45,434
Virginia$45,257
Pennsylvania$44,740
Nevada$44,480
North Dakota$44,394
Michigan$44,260
Wisconsin$44,210
Vermont$44,111
Texas$43,837
Maine$43,819
Arizona$43,792
Ohio$43,761
Georgia$43,347
Indiana$43,140
Wyoming$43,100
Utah$43,037
Iowa$43,010
Kansas$42,794
Louisiana$42,732
North Carolina$42,709
Missouri$42,700
Florida$42,525
Montana$42,430
Nebraska$42,341
Kentucky$42,291
South Carolina$42,111
Tennessee$41,999
Idaho$41,954
New Mexico$41,626
Oklahoma$41,554
Alabama$41,289
South Dakota$40,844
Arkansas$40,601
West Virginia$40,471
Mississippi$40,080
Top Paying Cities for Compressor 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: $56,686
San Francisco: $56,066
Oakland: $54,884
San Jose, CA$56,686
San Francisco, CA$56,066
Oakland, CA$54,884
New York, NY$51,747
Paramus, NJ$51,117
Queens Village, NY$51,115
Passaic, NJ$51,072
Bergenfield, NJ$51,068
Stamford, CT$50,970
Huntington, NY$50,951
Newark, NJ$50,619
Bridgeport, CT$50,524
Vallejo, CA$50,435
New Brunswick, NJ$50,417
Petaluma, CA$50,390
Middlesex, NJ$50,304
Somerset, NJ$50,273
Santa Cruz, CA$50,214
Boston, MA$49,940
Monterey, CA$49,783
Seattle, WA$49,680
Santa Rosa, CA$49,671
Los Angeles, CA$49,657
Juneau, AK$49,540
Washington, DC$49,491
Orange, CA$49,331
Santa Ana, CA$49,212
Long Beach, CA$49,167
Anaheim, CA$49,158
Anchorage, AK$49,136
Santa Maria, CA$49,001
Everett, WA$48,992
Danbury, CT$48,834
Bremerton, WA$48,772
Tacoma, WA$48,610
New Suffolk, NY$48,609
Sacramento, CA$48,597
Santa Barbara, CA$48,547
Trenton, NJ$48,498
San Diego, CA$48,498
Brockton, MA$48,448
Fairbanks, AK$48,338
Lompoc, CA$48,224
Lowell, MA$48,187
Ventura, CA$48,179
Nashua, NH$48,170
Stockton, CA$48,165
Modesto, CA$47,837
Poughkeepsie, NY$47,738
Olympia, WA$47,653
Kennewick, WA$47,653
New Haven, CT$47,635
Lawrence, MA$47,473
Hartford, CT$47,428
Riverside, CA$47,419
New Bedford, MA$47,374
Richland, WA$47,374
Bakersfield, CA$47,311
San Bernardino, CA$47,293
New Britain, CT$47,289
Atlantic City, NJ$47,289
New London, CT$47,271
Norwich, CT$47,257
Portsmouth, NH$47,248
Boulder, CO$47,153
Portland, OR$47,091
Worcester, MA$47,086
Minneapolis, MN$46,947
Philadelphia, PA$46,884
Honolulu, HI$46,736
Saint Paul, MN$46,714
Vineland, NJ$46,704
Providence, RI$46,574
Chicago, IL$46,444
Bellingham, WA$46,390
Springfield, MA$46,354
Baltimore, MD$46,340
Chico, CA$46,228
Pittsfield, MA$46,107
Manchester, NH$46,021
Spokane, WA$45,824
Denver, CO$45,819
Albany, NY$45,608
Troy, NY$45,590
Nassau, NY$45,542
Schenectady, NY$45,495
Wilmington, DE$45,460
Burlington, VT$45,397
Salem, OR$45,379
Portland, ME$45,239
Yakima, WA$45,194
Rochester, MN$45,055
Reno, NV$45,033
Fresno, CA$45,033
Milwaukee, WI$44,992
Detroit, MI$44,947
Ann Arbor, MI$44,940
Allentown, PA$44,934
Colorado Springs, CO$44,857
Syracuse, NY$44,835
Carson City, NV$44,835
Houston, TX$44,772
Eugene, OR$44,749
Gary, IN$44,696
Springfield, OR$44,660
Bismarck, ND$44,651
Galveston, TX$44,619
Medford, OR$44,552
Fort Collins, CO$44,534
Concord, NH$44,511
Austin, TX$44,498
Mesa, AZ$44,403
Reading, PA$44,399
Phoenix, AZ$44,394
Dallas, TX$44,381
Saint Cloud, MN$44,338
Madison, WI$44,278
Utica, NY$44,156
Rochester, NY$44,084
Des Moines, IA$44,080
Raleigh, NC$44,075
Atlanta, GA$44,008
Battle Creek, MI$43,994
Salt Lake City, UT$43,981
Lancaster, PA$43,914
Harrisburg, PA$43,851
Kansas City, MO$43,806
Champaign, IL$43,797
Kansas City, KS$43,797
Fort Worth, TX$43,792
Columbus, OH$43,785
Boca Raton, FL$43,774
Pittsburgh, PA$43,756
Richmond, VA$43,738
Indianapolis, IN$43,729
Cleveland, OH$43,725
Las Vegas, NV$43,671
Cincinnati, OH$43,671
Petersburg, VA$43,603
Huntsville, AL$43,536
Lansing, MI$43,506
Lebanon, PA$43,500
Pueblo, CO$43,496
Appleton, WI$43,482
Buffalo, NY$43,464
Dayton, OH$43,451
Racine, WI$43,442
Charlotte, NC$43,437
Saint Louis, MO$43,424
York, PA$43,397
Elkhart, IN$43,397
Gastonia, NC$43,388
Billings, MT$43,377
Beaumont, TX$43,365
Lorain, OH$43,356
Benton Harbor, MI$43,347
Toledo, OH$43,338
Binghamton, NY$43,316
Rock Hill, SC$43,311
Rockford, IL$43,289
Springfield, IL$43,271
Elyria, OH$43,266
Fargo, ND$43,266
Flagstaff, AZ$43,235
Fort Lauderdale, FL$43,208
Duluth, MN$43,181
Miami, FL$43,181
Cheyenne, WY$43,149
Grand Forks, ND$43,149
Bangor, ME$43,051
Cedar Rapids, IA$43,001
Durham, NC$42,982
Louisville, KY$42,979
Grand Rapids, MI$42,970
Hialeah, FL$42,965
Casper, WY$42,902
Scranton, PA$42,848
New Orleans, LA$42,835
Virginia Beach, VA$42,830
Akron, OH$42,808
Peoria, IL$42,749
Sarasota, FL$42,741
Nashville, TN$42,709
Omaha, NE$42,709
Green Bay, WI$42,709
Baton Rouge, LA$42,687
Charleston, SC$42,678
Jamestown, NY$42,655
Davenport, IA$42,655
Tucson, AZ$42,633
Saint Petersburg, FL$42,606
Tampa, FL$42,597
Evansville, IN$42,570
Port Arthur, TX$42,570
Bradenton, FL$42,552
Santa Fe, NM$42,471
Orlando, FL$42,390
Clearwater, FL$42,376
Canton, OH$42,282
La Crosse, WI$42,282
Albuquerque, NM$42,255
Newport News, VA$42,251
High Point, NC$42,237
Ogden, UT$42,219
Corpus Christi, TX$42,183
Norfolk, VA$42,156
Laramie, WY$42,156
Rock Island, IL$42,129
Saginaw, MI$42,120
Jacksonville, FL$42,116
Salisbury, NC$42,107
Boise, ID$42,098
Moline, IL$42,075
Fort Myers, FL$42,062
Memphis, TN$42,053
Tulsa, OK$42,030
Waterloo, IA$42,003
Spartanburg, SC$41,959
Lincoln, NE$41,936
Fort Wayne, IN$41,927
Provo, UT$41,923
Cedar Falls, IA$41,869
San Antonio, TX$41,851
Greensboro, NC$41,833
South Bend, IN$41,828
Savannah, GA$41,779
Muskegon, MI$41,761
Birmingham, AL$41,756
Winston Salem, NC$41,734
Lake Charles, LA$41,626
Anderson, IN$41,617
Lexington, KY$41,603
Augusta, GA$41,590
Greenville, SC$41,590
Lima, OH$41,554
Wichita, KS$41,550
Tuscaloosa, AL$41,550
Columbia, SC$41,509
Springfield, OH$41,500
Asheville, NC$41,428
Bloomington, IN$41,397
Knoxville, TN$41,235
Shreveport, LA$41,230
Wilmington, NC$41,172
Roanoke, VA$41,172
Topeka, KS$41,091
Frankfort, KY$41,086
Oklahoma City, OK$41,055
Chillicothe, OH$41,037
Longview, TX$41,033
Melbourne, FL$41,028
Sioux Falls, SD$40,956
Mobile, AL$40,952
Terre Haute, IN$40,934
Altoona, PA$40,907
Amarillo, TX$40,875
Killeen, TX$40,862
Fayetteville, AR$40,826
Chattanooga, TN$40,812
Sioux City, IA$40,772
Idaho Falls, ID$40,763
Lynchburg, VA$40,727
Gainesville, FL$40,669
Portsmouth, OH$40,646
Little Rock, AR$40,637
Lafayette, LA$40,619
Youngstown, OH$40,619
Daytona Beach, FL$40,592
Clarksville, TN$40,588
Pensacola, FL$40,583
Temple, TX$40,580
Hopkinsville, KY$40,448
Erie, PA$40,439
Florence, SC$40,421
Charleston, WV$40,350
Great Falls, MT$40,327
Macon, GA$40,264
Tallahassee, FL$40,260
Fayetteville, NC$40,251
Waco, TX$40,242
Helena, MT$40,210
Pine Bluff, AR$40,193
Vincennes, IN$40,138
Lubbock, TX$40,120
Alamogordo, NM$40,093
Twin Falls, ID$40,053
Rapid City, SD$40,039
Jackson, MS$39,959
Huntington, WV$39,955
Greenville, MS$39,954
Parkersburg, WV$39,908
Montgomery, AL$39,900
Wichita Falls, TX$39,855
Springfield, MO$39,855
Biloxi, MS$39,833
Monroe, LA$39,788
Johnstown, PA$39,756
Sumter, SC$39,738
Columbus, GA$39,734
Pascagoula, MS$39,648
Abilene, TX$39,648
Kingsport, TN$39,532
Albany, GA$39,532
Gulfport, MS$39,518
Alexandria, LA$39,370
Fort Smith, AR$39,257
El Paso, TX$39,136
Las Cruces, NM$38,934
Harlingen, TX$38,820
Pocatello, ID$38,813
Florence, AL$38,754
Brownsville, TX$38,745
Mcallen, TX$38,651
Dothan, AL$38,588
Columbus, MS$38,321
Altus, OK$38,111
Lawton, OK$38,026
Pierre, SD$37,864
What Skills Can Increase a Compressor Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 3.99% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Machine Operation (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Container (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
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 Compressor Operator's salary.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Compressor Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Compressor Operator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Media and Insurance
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Compressor Operator positions in MFG Durable or Internet typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Compressor Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Compressor Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Media
$58,426
$28.0
30%
Insurance
$56,178
$27.0
25%
Construction
$53,931
$26.0
20%
Financial Services
$51,684
$25.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$49,437
$24.0
10%
How Education impacts a Compressor Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Compressor Operators enter the field with a No Diploma degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Compressor Operator with a No Diploma is between
$44,700
and $47,709).
Compressor Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Compressor 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$40,144
Average$44,943/year
$49,406
$3,345
Average$3,745/month
$4,117
$772
Average$864/week
$950
$19
Average$22/hour
$24
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$49,406
$4,117
$950
$24
Average
$44,943
$3,745
$864
$22
25th Percentile
$40,144
$3,345
$772
$19
Salaries of Jobs related to Compressor Operator
Compressor Engineer$78,288
Compressor Mechanic$62,485
Compressor Service Technician$59,403
Compressor Technician$59,251
Air Compressor Technician$59,249
Camera Operator$47,239
Operator$47,135
Compressor Station Operator$46,852
Air Compressor Operator$46,279
Air Compressor Service Tech$43,346
Switchboard Operator$38,404
Salary Trends for Compressor Operator
Salaries for a Compressor Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $41,882 in 2023
to around $41,919 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Compressor Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Compressor Operator Over Time
$???
$41,882
$42,033
$41,919
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$41,882
2024
$42,033
2025
$41,919
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Compressor Operator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Compressor Operator
Here are companies hiring for Compressor Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Compressor Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Compressor Operator?
The Media industry offers the highest average compensation for Compressor Operator roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
