Gas Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a gas plant operators in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $85,350/year ($41.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.84), that's roughly $89,055 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,343/month, or 25.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Buffalo-Cheektowaga’s Regional Price Parity (95.84). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About gas plant operators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Buffalo-Cheektowaga
Gas plant operators pay in Buffalo-Cheektowaga tracks closely to the national median, $85K locally vs. $88K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,343/month, 25% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.84) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for gas plant operators in metros near Buffalo-Cheektowaga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $119K | $106K |
| Pittsburgh | $82K | $86K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $105K | $97K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $89K | $87K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
Entry-level gas plant operators (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Gas Plant Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Gas Plant Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $130K | +48% | 800 |
| New Jersey | $111K | +26% | 190 |
| Oregon | $110K | +25% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $109K | +24% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $108K | +23% | 800 |
| Arizona | $105K | +19% | 140 |
| Massachusetts | $104K | +18% | 340 |
| Maryland | $103K | +17% | 180 |
| South Dakota | $101K | +16% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $101K | +15% | 400 |
| Minnesota | $101K | +14% | 360 |
| Michigan | $101K | +14% | 540 |
| New York | $98K | +12% | 240 |
| Utah | $98K | +12% | 160 |
| Colorado | $98K | +12% | 570 |
| Illinois | $98K | +11% | 530 |
| New Mexico | $98K | +11% | 300 |
| North Dakota | $97K | +10% | 770 |
| Maine | $94K | +7% | 30 |
| Iowa | $93K | +6% | 480 |
| Missouri | $88K | +0% | 220 |
| Nebraska | $88K | -0% | 270 |
| Virginia | $87K | -2% | 400 |
| Indiana | $86K | -2% | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $85K | -3% | 150 |
| Washington | $84K | -5% | 120 |
| Montana | $84K | -5% | 70 |
| West Virginia | $83K | -6% | 420 |
| Ohio | $82K | -6% | 570 |
| Mississippi | $82K | -7% | 340 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -7% | 480 |
| North Carolina | $81K | -7% | 320 |
| Georgia | $81K | -8% | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $81K | -8% | 1,370 |
| Kansas | $81K | -8% | 350 |
| Texas | $80K | -9% | 2,550 |
| Idaho | $79K | -10% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $78K | -11% | 970 |
| Alabama | $77K | -12% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $68K | -23% | 280 |
| Florida | $67K | -24% | 130 |
| Tennessee | $67K | -24% | 200 |
| Kentucky | $63K | -28% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track gas plant operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Buffalo-Cheektowaga numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a gas plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 25% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,343/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for gas plant operators in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new gas plant operators typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,088/month. At HUD’s $1,343/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is gas plant operator a high-paying job in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $85K locally vs. $88K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Buffalo-Cheektowaga compare to the national average for gas plant operators?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $88K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do gas plant operators make in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY?
The median is $85,350 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,130, and experienced gas plant operators can clear $101,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,362/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,343/month, which eats 25% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a gas plant operators salary go in Buffalo-Cheektowaga?
Buffalo-Cheektowaga has a Regional Price Parity of 95.84 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median gas plant operators salary is worth about $89,055 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do gas plant operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.