Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
What Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators Do
Operate steam-, gas-, electric motor-, or internal combustion-engine driven compressors. Transmit, compress, or recover gases, such as butane, nitrogen, hydrogen, and natural gas.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- 3.6%
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Production and Processingimportance 4.6/5
- Mechanicalimportance 4.3/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.9/5
- Administration and Managementimportance 3.8/5
- Chemistryimportance 3.7/5
- English Languageimportance 3.6/5
- Education and Trainingimportance 3.5/5
- Mathematicsimportance 3.4/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions4.8/5
- E-Mail4.8/5
- Telephone Conversations4.8/5
- Health and Safety of Other Workers4.8/5
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.7/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand97% skill match
- Power Plant Operators97% skill match
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers96% skill match
- Logging Equipment Operators96% skill match
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
- Printing Press Operators96% skill match
- Pile Driver Operators96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.9/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.1/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.0/5
- Repairingimportance 3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Stress Tolerance
- Integrity
- Self-Control
- Adaptability
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalMedium
- InvestigativeLow
- SocialLow
- EnterprisingLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where gas compressor and gas pumping station operators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Pittsburgh, PA2.48× national avg
- 2Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX1.05× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Power Plant OperatorsCareer Change
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersLateral Move
- Gas Plant OperatorsCareer Change
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsCareer Change
See the full career path from Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators →