Top 15 cities for gas plant operators by average salary
| Los Angeles, CA | $121,110 |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | $115,310 |
| Riverside, CA | $114,070 |
| Portland, OR | $110,150 |
| Detroit, MI | $103,970 |
| San Diego, CA | $102,160 |
| Boston, MA | $101,820 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $100,860 |
| Denver, CO | $99,940 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $96,920 |
| Chicago, IL | $96,520 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $95,240 |
| Washington, DC | $94,920 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $94,320 |
| Davenport, IA | $93,510 |
Map: Gas Plant Operators salary by metro area
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Gas Plant Operators salary by state
| State | Metros | Highest average | Lowest average |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 3 | $121,110 | $102,160 |
| New York | 2 | $115,310 | $85,980 |
| Oregon | 1 | $110,150 | $110,150 |
| Michigan | 2 | $103,970 | $100,860 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $101,820 | $101,820 |
| Colorado | 2 | $99,940 | $83,740 |
| Utah | 1 | $96,920 | $96,920 |
| Illinois | 1 | $96,520 | $96,520 |
| Louisiana | 1 | $95,240 | $95,240 |
| Washington, D.C. | 1 | $94,920 | $94,920 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $94,320 | $94,320 |
| Iowa | 2 | $93,510 | $90,090 |
| North Carolina | 1 | $90,980 | $90,980 |
| Nebraska | 1 | $89,890 | $89,890 |
| Washington | 1 | $87,580 | $87,580 |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $86,780 | $84,340 |
| Georgia | 1 | $85,780 | $85,780 |
| Ohio | 3 | $85,460 | $59,830 |
| West Virginia | 3 | $85,340 | $71,270 |
| Texas | 4 | $85,040 | $79,240 |
| Arkansas | 2 | $82,960 | $81,970 |
| Kansas | 1 | $82,090 | $82,090 |
| Alabama | 2 | $81,880 | $78,090 |
| Oklahoma | 2 | $80,620 | $75,530 |
| Idaho | 1 | $78,850 | $78,850 |
| Tennessee | 2 | $78,750 | $68,550 |
| Kentucky | 1 | $77,130 | $77,130 |
| Missouri | 1 | $76,720 | $76,720 |
| Mississippi | 1 | $76,390 | $76,390 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $73,010 | $63,350 |
Gas Plant Operators salary in every city we cover
Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.
| Metro area | Average | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $121,110 | $125,550 | $58.22 | 210 |
| New York, NY | $115,310 | $118,870 | $55.44 | 270 |
| Riverside, CA | $114,070 | $124,480 | $54.84 | 90 |
| Portland, OR | $110,150 | $118,640 | $52.96 | 50 |
| Detroit, MI | $103,970 | $108,650 | $49.99 | 290 |
| San Diego, CA | $102,160 | $98,900 | $49.12 | 120 |
| Boston, MA | $101,820 | $104,770 | $48.95 | 210 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $100,860 | $104,440 | $48.49 | 40 |
| Denver, CO | $99,940 | $98,640 | $48.05 | 360 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $96,920 | $102,390 | $46.59 | 50 |
| Chicago, IL | $96,520 | $102,810 | $46.40 | 340 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $95,240 | $113,570 | $45.79 | 100 |
| Washington, DC | $94,920 | $99,880 | $45.64 | 180 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $94,320 | $100,500 | $45.35 | 290 |
| Davenport, IA | $93,510 | $92,970 | $44.96 | 40 |
| Charlotte, NC | $90,980 | $89,140 | $43.74 | 120 |
| Des Moines, IA | $90,090 | $95,260 | $43.31 | 100 |
| Omaha, NE | $89,890 | $91,320 | $43.22 | 130 |
| Seattle, WA | $87,580 | $97,080 | $42.11 | 50 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $86,780 | $81,600 | $41.72 | 440 |
| Buffalo, NY | $85,980 | $85,350 | $41.34 | 50 |
| York, PA | $85,840 | $94,170 | $41.27 | 40 |
| Atlanta, GA | $85,780 | $95,430 | $41.24 | 50 |
| Cleveland, OH | $85,460 | $86,290 | $41.09 | 40 |
| Wheeling, WV | $85,340 | $82,720 | $41.03 | 80 |
| Houston, TX | $85,040 | $85,530 | $40.89 | 1,510 |
| Charleston, WV | $84,660 | $85,790 | $40.70 | 100 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $84,340 | $89,430 | $40.55 | 190 |
| Greeley, CO | $83,740 | $80,950 | $40.26 | 40 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $82,960 | $88,460 | $39.89 | 30 |
| Wichita, KS | $82,090 | $78,950 | $39.47 | 30 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $81,970 | $74,230 | $39.41 | 50 |
| Birmingham, AL | $81,880 | $80,280 | $39.37 | 140 |
| Columbus, OH | $81,150 | $81,700 | $39.01 | 70 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $80,620 | $78,310 | $38.76 | 230 |
| College Station, TX | $80,580 | $79,770 | $38.74 | 30 |
| Midland, TX | $80,280 | $79,910 | $38.60 | 90 |
| Dallas, TX | $79,240 | $81,430 | $38.10 | 200 |
| Boise, ID | $78,850 | $79,280 | $37.91 | 30 |
| Memphis, TN | $78,750 | $66,560 | $37.86 | 110 |
| Mobile, AL | $78,090 | $80,230 | $37.54 | 60 |
| Louisville, KY | $77,130 | $78,730 | $37.08 | 60 |
| Kansas City, MO | $76,720 | $81,290 | $36.89 | 60 |
| Jackson, MS | $76,390 | $80,270 | $36.73 | 60 |
| Tulsa, OK | $75,530 | $78,550 | $36.31 | 270 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $73,010 | $79,170 | $35.10 | 50 |
| Huntington, WV | $71,270 | $77,770 | $34.27 | 30 |
| Columbia, SC | $68,820 | $81,960 | $33.09 | 40 |
| Nashville, TN | $68,550 | $66,970 | $32.96 | 70 |
| Greenville, SC | $63,350 | $57,080 | $30.46 | 60 |
| Toledo, OH | $59,830 | $57,530 | $28.77 | 30 |
Related jobs
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsU.S. metro average $64,958
- Power Plant OperatorsU.S. metro average $102,474
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsU.S. metro average $88,544
- Chemical Plant and System OperatorsU.S. metro average $88,696
- Plant and System Operators, All OtherU.S. metro average $66,170
- Power Distributors and DispatchersU.S. metro average $117,081
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersU.S. metro average $93,320
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Gas Plant Operators salary: questions
Where do gas plant operators make the most money?
In Los Angeles, CA, with an average of $121,110 a year, among the 51 metro areas we cover.
What is the average gas plant operators salary in the U.S.?
$89,876 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where is gas plant operators pay the lowest?
Toledo, OH, at $59,830 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-8092.
- U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.