Gas Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a gas plant operators in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA is $118,640/year ($57.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $85K at the entry level to $125K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $112,540 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,922/month, or 26.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $119K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for gas plant operators, local pay runs about 35% higher than the U.S. median of $88K. Rent runs $1,922/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for gas plant operators in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $126K | $111K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $99K | $88K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $124K | $117K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $97K | $87K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level gas plant operators (10th percentile) start around $85K. Mid-career wages sit at $119K. Top earners bring in $125K or more, a $40K 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
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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a gas plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Yes — at the median salary of $119K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for gas plant operators in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new gas plant operators typically earn — is $85K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,122/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 35% above the national median — $119K here vs. $88K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for gas plant operators?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $119K median vs. the U.S. average of $88K — that’s +35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $113K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do gas plant operators make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $118,640 a year, that works out to about $57 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $85,360, and experienced gas plant operators can clear $125,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $119K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,832/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (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 $112,540 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.