Power distributors and dispatchers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $72,440 | $34.83 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $106,730 | $51.31 |
| Mean (average) | $111,320 | $53.52 |
| 90th percentile | $154,270 | $74.17 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Power distributors and dispatchers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 38 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $114,570 | $89,500 | $166,390 | 190 | 1.6 |
| Arizona | $98,510 | $86,300 | $122,050 | 70 | 0.38 |
| Arkansas | $117,370 | $63,260 | $139,400 | 210 | 2.9 |
| California | $137,570 | $101,200 | $209,200 | 670 | 0.68 |
| Florida | $101,060 | $60,260 | $127,580 | 260 | 0.48 |
| Georgia | $80,560 | $65,800 | $130,710 | 90 | 0.33 |
| Idaho | $136,550 | $119,540 | $176,140 | 60 | 1.28 |
| Illinois | $101,470 | $64,360 | $124,310 | 330 | 0.99 |
| Indiana | $129,080 | $84,290 | $157,980 | 90 | 0.54 |
| Iowa | $102,980 | $45,400 | $128,490 | ||
| Kansas | $116,810 | $64,960 | $126,430 | 90 | 1.2 |
| Kentucky | $105,600 | $65,280 | $140,690 | 140 | 1.3 |
| Maine | $121,520 | $77,270 | $129,240 | 100 | 2.75 |
| Maryland | $113,660 | $85,560 | $138,250 | 50 | 0.33 |
| Massachusetts | $121,010 | $99,440 | $146,180 | 390 | 1.94 |
| Michigan | $116,780 | $75,100 | $140,920 | 450 | 1.87 |
| Minnesota | $105,630 | $82,260 | $136,380 | 100 | 0.6 |
| Mississippi | $98,960 | $64,930 | $135,510 | 90 | 1.45 |
| Missouri | $105,450 | $61,220 | $131,620 | 100 | 0.63 |
| Nebraska | $98,570 | $63,060 | $120,190 | 240 | 4.25 |
| Nevada | $138,300 | $91,790 | $159,860 | 100 | 1.2 |
| New Jersey | $128,220 | $102,350 | $151,970 | 330 | 1.42 |
| New Mexico | $79,580 | $69,870 | $115,940 | 40 | 0.86 |
| New York | $139,390 | $98,920 | $159,400 | 150 | 0.29 |
| North Carolina | $90,420 | $62,710 | $98,800 | 190 | 0.7 |
| Ohio | $100,320 | $63,610 | $121,720 | 360 | 1.17 |
| Oklahoma | $105,530 | $60,910 | $140,820 | 50 | 0.56 |
| Oregon | $137,490 | $125,210 | $195,360 | 340 | 3.19 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,930 | $71,080 | $119,450 | 560 | 1.69 |
| South Carolina | $91,570 | $66,510 | $107,550 | 190 | 1.48 |
| South Dakota | $130,270 | $99,650 | $142,960 | 30 | 1.36 |
| Tennessee | $79,910 | $58,120 | $121,970 | 100 | 0.57 |
| Texas | $102,890 | $75,990 | $126,920 | 970 | 1.26 |
| Virginia | $81,080 | $60,600 | $107,770 | 330 | 1.47 |
| Washington | $144,710 | $95,370 | $197,080 | 380 | 1.94 |
| West Virginia | $101,960 | $84,840 | $126,780 | 50 | 1.26 |
| Wisconsin | $83,140 | $69,610 | $109,100 | 40 | 0.22 |
| Wyoming | $120,210 | $100,990 | $126,570 | 70 | 4.46 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for power distributors and dispatchers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for power distributors and dispatchers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
- Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
- Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
- Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to start boilers or generators.
- Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections.
- Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines.
- Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems.
- Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- ABB MicroSCADA Pro DMS
- ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS
- ABB PSGuard
- Catapult Software iPower SCADA
- Distribution automation system software
- Distribution management system DMS
- Energy management system EMS
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Milsoft DisSPatch
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Operations Monitoring, Judgment and Decision Making, Operation and Control, Coordination, Time Management.
Common job titles: Control Area Operator, Control Operator, Dispatcher, Distribution System Dispatcher (DSD), DSO (Distribution System Operator), Electric System Operator, Power System Dispatcher, Power System Operator, Systems Operator, Transmission System Operator (TSO).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do power distributors and dispatchers make?
The national median annual wage for power distributors and dispatchers was $106,730 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $72,440 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $154,270. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do power distributors and dispatchers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is power distributors and dispatchers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of power distributors and dispatchers to change +1.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay power distributors and dispatchers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($144,710), New York ($139,390), Nevada ($138,300). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.