Gas Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a gas plant operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR is $66,560/year ($32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $62K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $72,207 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,274/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $67K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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
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What this looks like in Memphis
Pay for gas plant operators in Memphis runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $88K. Rent runs $1,274/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for gas plant operators in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $67K | $70K |
| Birmingham | $80K | $88K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $89K | $92K |
| Kansas City | $81K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level gas plant operators (10th percentile) start around $62K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $37K 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 Memphis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a gas plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Memphis?
Yes — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for gas plant operators in Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new gas plant operators typically earn — is $62K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,745/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Memphis?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $67K here vs. $88K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for gas plant operators?
Memphis pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $88K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do gas plant operators make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $66,560 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,420, and experienced gas plant operators can clear $99,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,601/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 27.7% 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 Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $72,207 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.