Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Transportation and Material Moving · SOC 53-7071 · O*NET 53-7071.00
Operate steam-, gas-, electric motor-, or internal combustion-engine driven compressors. Transmit, compress, or recover gases, such as butane, nitrogen, hydrogen, and natural gas.
Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators fall under the Transportation and Material Moving category in the U.S. occupational classification. Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators earn a median salary of $71,510 per year, ranking in the top 32% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -1.3% job growth through 2034, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do gas compressor and gas pumping station operators earn?
The median annual wage for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators is $71,510. That puts gas compressor and gas pumping station operators at #258 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $43,950 |
| 25th percentile | $57,520 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $71,510 |
| 75th percentile | $88,090 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $98,350 |
| Median hourly wage | $34.38/hr |
Is gas compressor and gas pumping station operators a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators is -1.3%, projected to lose jobs through 2034. Employment is projected to move from approximately 5K positions in 2024 to 5K in 2034, a net change of 0K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do gas compressor and gas pumping station operators do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working gas compressor and gas pumping station operators, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Monitor meters and pressure gauges to determine consumption rate variations, temperatures, and pressures.
- 2.Turn knobs or switches to regulate pressures.
- 3.Maintain each station by performing general housekeeping duties such as painting, washing, and cleaning.
- 4.Adjust valves and equipment to obtain specified performance.
- 5.Read gas meters, and maintain records of the amounts of gas received and dispensed from holders.
- 6.Connect pipelines between pumps and containers that are being filled or emptied.
- 7.Respond to problems by adjusting control room equipment or instructing other personnel to adjust equipment at problem locations or in other control areas.
- 8.Record instrument readings and operational changes in operating logs.
Top skills for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become gas compressor and gas pumping station operator?
Many gas compressor and gas pumping station operators enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about gas compressor and gas pumping station operators
What is the median salary for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators?
The median annual salary for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators is $71,510 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is gas compressor and gas pumping station operators a growing career?
BLS projects -1.3% growth for gas compressor and gas pumping station operators from 2024 through 2034, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2034.
What education does my child need to become gas compressor and gas pumping station operator?
The typical entry path requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to gas compressor and gas pumping station operators?
Related occupations within the Transportation and Material Moving category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.