# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/gas-compressor-and-gas-pumping-station-operators
- SOC code: 53-7071.00
- Career family: Transportation
- Median annual pay: $77,320 (10th percentile $46,180, 90th percentile $99,510)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.1%
- Openings a year: 300
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 88 |
| Investigative (I) | 22 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 9 |
| Enterprising (E) | 8 |
| Conventional (C) | 64 |

## What you'd do

- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 87/100)
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment (importance 87/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 85/100)
- Getting Information (importance 85/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 84/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 82/100)
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment (importance 81/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 81/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 80/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 80/100)

## Skills

Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Equipment Maintenance, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Troubleshooting, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Chemistry, English Language, Education and Training, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Physics

## Also called

Acetylene Gas Compressor, Air Compressor Technician, Butadiene Compressor Operator, Butane Compressor Operator, Compressor, Compressor Engineer, Compressor Operator, Compressor Station Operator, Compressor Technician, Corrosion Technician

## Related careers

- [Gas Plant Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/gas-plant-operators): $87,820 median pay
- [Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/petroleum-pump-system-operators-refinery-operators-and-gaugers): $96,710 median pay
- [Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/stationary-engineers-and-boiler-operators): $78,620 median pay
- [Power Plant Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/power-plant-operators): $102,040 median pay
- [Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pump-operators-except-wellhead-pumpers): $61,770 median pay
- [Chemical Plant and System Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chemical-plant-and-system-operators): $78,120 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.