Gas Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a gas plant operators in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $89,430/year ($42.99/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $104K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $87,206 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $89K actually covers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Gas plant operators pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $89K locally vs. $88K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,810/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $82K | $86K |
| York-Hanover | $94K | $98K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $119K | $106K |
| Charleston | $86K | $97K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level gas plant operators (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $104K or more, a $60K 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 annually. We'll email you when Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a gas plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 31.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new gas plant operators typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,061/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $89K locally vs. $88K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for gas plant operators?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $88K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — below the national median.
How much do gas plant operators make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $89,430 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,900, and experienced gas plant operators can clear $104,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,713/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 31.7% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median gas plant operators salary is worth about $87,206 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.