Jobs Similar to Gas Plant Operators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to gas plant operators, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Pump Operators, Biomass Plant Technicians and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers.
Gas Plant Operators: $87,820 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
83% similar · $61,770 (−30%) · High school
- 2Biomass Plant Technicians
83% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 3Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
82% similar · $96,710 (+10%) · High school · Same group
- 4Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
82% similar · $77,320 (−12%) · High school
- 5Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
81% similar · $60,020 (−32%) · High school · Same group
- 6Nuclear Technicians
80% similar · $110,240 (+26%) · Training or associate
- 7Power Plant Operators
80% similar · $102,040 (+16%) · High school · Same group
- 8Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
80% similar · $58,870 (−33%) · High school
- 9Biofuels Processing Technicians
79% similar · $62,470 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 10Wellhead Pumpers
79% similar · $69,960 (−20%) · High school
- 11Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
79% similar · $78,620 (−10%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 12Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
78% similar · $52,800 (−40%) · High school
- 13Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
78% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · Training or associate · Same group
- 14Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
78% similar · $48,540 (−45%) · High school
- 15Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
78% similar · $46,350 (−47%) · High school
- 16Locomotive Engineers
78% similar · $81,410 (−7%) · High school
- 17Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
78% similar · $103,020 (+17%) · Training or associate
- 18Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
78% similar · $54,430 (−38%) · High school
- 19Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
78% similar · $48,040 (−45%) · High school
- 20Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
78% similar · $92,100 (broader group) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than gas plant operators.
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for gas plant operators also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where gas plant operators is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (92)
- Wellhead Pumpers (89)
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (87)
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (80)
- Geothermal Technicians (80)
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (80)
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (78)
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders (78)
- Locomotive Engineers (78)
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (78)
Questions about jobs like gas plant operators
What jobs are most similar to gas plant operators?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Pump Operators (83% similar), Biomass Plant Technicians (83% similar), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (82% similar), Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (82% similar) and Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators (81% similar).
Which jobs like gas plant operators pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Nuclear Technicians ($110,240, +26%; usually training or an associate degree), Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay ($103,020, +17%; usually training or an associate degree) and Power Plant Operators ($102,040, +16%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with gas plant operators ($87,820). Without more preparation than gas plant operators usually need: Power Plant Operators and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.