All careers › Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
Compressor station operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $46,180lowest 10% earn less
- $58,58025th percentile
- $77,320median
- $91,02075th percentile
- $99,510top 10% earn more
The median pay for a compressor station operator was $77,320 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +2.1%[2]
- Openings per year
- 300[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do compressor station operators make?
BLS calls this job Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators. The median wage was $77,320 a year, or $37.17 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $74,610 a year, or $35.87 an hour[7].
The median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The typical compressor station operator wage was above that.
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[3][8] | $46,180 | $22.20 |
| 25th percentile[3][8] | $58,580 | $28.17 |
| Median[1] | $77,320 | $37.17 |
| 75th percentile[3][8] | $91,020 | $43.76 |
| 90th percentile[3][8] | $99,510 | $47.84 |
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $46,180, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $99,510[3]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10]. About 3,510 people held these jobs[11].
Pay by state and city
Among the 20 states with published data, Kansas had the highest median at $107,730, followed by Alaska at $106,440 and Indiana at $100,280[12]. Alabama had the lowest listed median at $43,440[12].
Texas had the most jobs with 1,350, then Pennsylvania with 300 and West Virginia with 200[13]. Texas had a median of $82,120[12].
Only one metro area had at least 100 jobs[14]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX had a median of $79,720[14]. Pittsburgh, PA had a median of $61,190 and Charleston, WV had $73,080[15].
Show median pay in 20 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas[12] | $107,730 | 50 |
| Alaska | $106,440 | 60 |
| Indiana | $100,280 | 40 |
| Ohio | $85,930 | 120 |
| Montana | $83,750 | 100 |
| Oklahoma | $82,150 | 140 |
| Texas | $82,120 | 1,350 |
| Louisiana | $79,970 | 60 |
| Michigan | $78,240 | 40 |
| Colorado | $76,200 | n/a |
| West Virginia | $65,050 | 200 |
| Virginia | $64,990 | 40 |
| Nebraska | $64,620 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,170 | 300 |
| New York | $59,040 | 60 |
| Washington | $57,500 | 120 |
| Oregon | $51,150 | n/a |
| Tennessee | $45,350 | n/a |
| South Dakota | $44,440 | n/a |
| Alabama | $43,440 | 60 |
How to become a compressor station operator
BLS describes the typical path this way.
- First: finish high school or get an equivalent diploma[6].
- Next: no related work experience is needed[6].
- Then: learn on the job. BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
O*NET places the job in a group where some jobs need little or no previous experience and others need several months to a year[16]. The facts here do not say how long the training lasts or whether a license is needed.
What compressor station operators do
These workers run engine- or motor-driven compressors that move, compress or recover gases such as natural gas, nitrogen and hydrogen[17]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:
- Watching meters and pressure gauges for changes in use, temperature and pressure[18]
- Fixing problems by adjusting control room equipment or telling others to adjust equipment on site[18]
- Writing instrument readings and operating changes in logs[18]
- Adjusting valves and equipment to reach set performance levels[18]
- Starting compressor engines, pumps and support equipment[18]
- Sending daily reports on how the facility ran[18]
- Taking gas samples for tests of quality, or sending them to a lab[18]
- Reading gas meters and keeping records of gas received and dispensed[18]
Job titles workers report include compressor operator, pipeline technician and LNG plant operator[19].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,500 to 3,600 jobs[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[20]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].
About 300 openings are projected each year, on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 3.1% of workers leave the labor force and 6.4% move to a different occupation[21].
Is it a good fit?
The facts show pay well above the all-occupations median[1][4]. Entry calls for a high school diploma or equivalent and moderate on-the-job training[6]. Growth is projected to be slower than for all occupations, and the field is small[2][20][11]. Pay differs a lot by state, and Texas holds the most jobs[12][13].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a compressor station operator make an hour?
- The median hourly wage for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators was $37.17 in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $22.20 and the 90th was $47.84[8].
- What education do you need to be a compressor station operator?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent for entry, with no related work experience[6].
- Is compressor station operator work in demand?
- Employment is projected to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][20]. About 300 openings are projected each year[5].
- Which state pays compressor station operators the most?
- Kansas had the highest median at $107,730 in May 2025, ahead of Alaska at $106,440[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators in the US was $77,320 per year and $37.17 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators is projected to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,500 to 3,600 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators: 10th percentile $46,180, 25th percentile $58,580, 75th percentile $91,020, 90th percentile $99,510. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 300 openings for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators was $74,610 per year and $35.87 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators: 10th percentile $22.20, 25th percentile $28.17, 75th percentile $43.76, 90th percentile $47.84. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,510 people were employed as Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators jobs: Texas 1,350; Pennsylvania 300; West Virginia 200; Oklahoma 140; Ohio 120. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $79,720. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 100 (median $79,720); Pittsburgh, PA 60 (median $61,190); Charleston, WV 30 (median $73,080). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 53-7071.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. 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. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 53-7071.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Compressor Operator, Compressor Station Operator, Compressor Technician, Fill Plant Operator, Filler, Liquefied Natural Gas Plant Operator (LNG Plant Operator), Pipeline Technician, Plant Operator. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators: 3.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.