Gas Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a gas plant operators in Midland, TX is $79,910/year ($38.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.78), that's roughly $83,431 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,772/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $80K get you in Midland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Midland’s Regional Price Parity (95.78). 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 Midland
Gas plant operators pay in Midland tracks closely to the national median, $80K locally vs. $88K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,772/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.78) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for gas plant operators in metros near Midland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $86K | $87K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $81K | $79K |
| College Station-Bryan | $80K | $88K |
| Tulsa | $79K | $88K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Midland, TX
Entry-level gas plant operators (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $47K 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 Midland numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a gas plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Midland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 32.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,772/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for gas plant operators in Midland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new gas plant operators typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,157/month. At HUD’s $1,772/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Midland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $80K locally vs. $88K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Midland compare to the national average for gas plant operators?
Midland pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $88K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — below the national median.
How much do gas plant operators make in Midland, TX?
The median is $79,910 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,610, and experienced gas plant operators can clear $99,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Midland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,384/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,772/month, which eats 32.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a gas plant operators salary go in Midland?
Midland has a Regional Price Parity of 95.78 (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 $83,431 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.