Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
Operate steam-, gas-, electric motor-, or internal combustion-engine driven compressors. Transmit, compress, or recover gases, such as butane, nitrogen, hydrogen, and natural gas.
- Median annual earnings
- $76,843
- Projected change
- +0.4%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 5.09K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
64.6% of the workforce
Growing to 5.11K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
The work
What gas compressor and gas pumping station operators do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Monitor meters and pressure gauges to determine consumption rate variations, temperatures, and pressures.
- Adjust valves and equipment to obtain specified performance.
- Record instrument readings and operational changes in operating logs.
- Respond to problems by adjusting control room equipment or instructing other personnel to adjust equipment at problem locations or in other control areas.
- Move controls and turn valves to start compressor engines, pumps, and auxiliary equipment.
- Operate power-driven pumps that transfer liquids, semi-liquids, gases, or powdered materials.
- Submit daily reports on facility operations.
- Take samples of gases and conduct chemical tests to determine gas quality and sulfur or moisture content, or send samples to laboratories for analysis.
- Read gas meters, and maintain records of the amounts of gas received and dispensed from holders.
- Turn knobs or switches to regulate pressures.
- Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, and replace filters and gaskets, using hand tools.
- Maintain each station by performing general housekeeping duties such as painting, washing, and cleaning.
- Connect pipelines between pumps and containers that are being filled or emptied.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $45,619
- 25th percentile
- $58,000
- 50th percentile
- $76,843
- 75th percentile
- $90,778
- 90th percentile
- $102,233
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $76,843 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
21 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 64.6%
- Associate degree
- 13.9%
- Some college
- 11.1%
- Certificate
- 10.5%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
In the market
Job titles and employers
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