How to become a gas plant operator
Distribute or process gas for utility companies and others by controlling compressors to maintain specified pressures on main pipelines.
Steps to get there
Most employers expect usually requires a high school diploma or ged, though some occupations may not..Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
What gas plant operators do
- Control operation of compressors, scrubbers, evaporators, and refrigeration equipment to liquefy, compress, or regasify natural gas.
- Control equipment to regulate flow and pressure of gas to feedlines of boilers, furnaces, and related steam-generating or heating equipment.
- Contact maintenance crews when necessary.
- Signal or direct workers who tend auxiliary equipment.
- Monitor equipment functioning, observe temperature, level, and flow gauges, and perform regular unit checks to ensure that all equipment is operating as it should.
- Record, review, and compile operations records, test results, and gauge readings such as temperatures, pressures, concentrations, and flows.
Skills that matter most
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Mathematics
- Active Learning
Is gas plant operator a good career?
On the numbers, this job pays above the typical job. Median pay is 72% above the all-occupation median. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself, the schooling you are willing to do and where you want to live.
Where it pays most
- California $130,220
- New Jersey $110,900
- Oregon $109,760
- Louisiana $108,350
- Arizona $104,600
Gas Plant Operators salary by state and city
Sources: O*NET® 31.0 (CC BY 4.0, USDOL/ETA) and BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025.