Power plant operators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $61,790 | $29.71 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $102,040 | $49.06 |
| Mean (average) | $99,790 | $47.97 |
| 90th percentile | $131,940 | $63.44 |
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 plant operators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $107,080 | $76,250 | $123,520 | 790 | 1.99 |
| Alaska | $88,870 | $43,260 | $135,690 | 650 | 10.6 |
| Arizona | $84,970 | $57,560 | $118,910 | 390 | 0.64 |
| Arkansas | $97,760 | $62,000 | $102,650 | 220 | 0.89 |
| California | $105,210 | $63,510 | $171,800 | 2,610 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | $102,780 | $76,900 | $137,720 | 250 | 0.46 |
| Connecticut | $97,460 | $76,110 | $131,410 | 250 | 0.78 |
| Delaware | $103,010 | $85,750 | $128,330 | 80 | 0.86 |
| Florida | $94,290 | $47,840 | $126,330 | 1,640 | 0.88 |
| Georgia | $107,580 | $58,660 | $124,670 | 590 | 0.64 |
| Guam | $61,230 | $56,210 | $79,960 | 60 | 4.38 |
| Hawaii | $121,700 | $103,430 | $134,770 | 290 | 2.43 |
| Idaho | $124,440 | $68,960 | $137,670 | 310 | 1.9 |
| Illinois | $104,440 | $77,330 | $128,040 | 1,160 | 1.01 |
| Indiana | $107,000 | $76,700 | $123,540 | 1,190 | 1.97 |
| Iowa | $100,500 | $63,320 | $109,690 | 470 | 1.61 |
| Kansas | $79,980 | $46,580 | $129,990 | 520 | 1.92 |
| Kentucky | $93,400 | $66,830 | $118,400 | 690 | 1.83 |
| Louisiana | $101,170 | $62,410 | $123,910 | 370 | 1.01 |
| Maine | $81,060 | $61,220 | $106,910 | 190 | 1.59 |
| Maryland | $111,260 | $85,120 | $122,030 | 330 | 0.64 |
| Massachusetts | $100,140 | $68,150 | $130,850 | 880 | 1.29 |
| Michigan | $105,820 | $74,520 | $131,250 | 1,220 | 1.47 |
| Minnesota | $94,390 | $72,540 | $125,900 | 970 | 1.75 |
| Mississippi | $102,400 | $65,770 | $125,690 | 450 | 2.05 |
| Missouri | $101,900 | $60,120 | $128,430 | ||
| Montana | $106,040 | $62,840 | $120,560 | 130 | 1.32 |
| Nebraska | $98,210 | $65,850 | $125,570 | 360 | 1.89 |
| Nevada | $131,400 | $71,760 | $141,600 | 250 | 0.86 |
| New Hampshire | $81,070 | $58,010 | $128,510 | 90 | 0.72 |
| New Jersey | $131,370 | $83,510 | $131,940 | 300 | 0.37 |
| New Mexico | $105,510 | $46,350 | $121,690 | 130 | 0.77 |
| New York | $106,990 | $64,580 | $142,310 | 1,960 | 1.07 |
| North Carolina | $108,300 | $62,580 | $132,040 | 420 | 0.45 |
| North Dakota | $122,160 | $104,300 | $134,280 | 150 | 1.89 |
| Ohio | $104,160 | $69,180 | $119,170 | 730 | 0.7 |
| Oklahoma | $88,590 | $55,390 | $107,640 | 520 | 1.63 |
| Oregon | $109,830 | $76,740 | $145,110 | 250 | 0.66 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,800 | $64,010 | $128,180 | 1,010 | 0.89 |
| Puerto Rico | $70,640 | $41,070 | $77,790 | 210 | 1.17 |
| Rhode Island | $98,050 | $69,570 | $134,120 | 50 | 0.56 |
| South Carolina | $79,900 | $58,880 | $100,200 | 680 | 1.56 |
| Tennessee | $115,920 | $68,060 | $125,690 | 490 | 0.8 |
| Texas | $102,510 | $55,500 | $127,710 | 2,100 | 0.79 |
| Utah | $107,120 | $77,440 | $126,190 | 420 | 1.27 |
| Vermont | $78,240 | $49,110 | $127,790 | 140 | 2.41 |
| Virginia | $73,640 | $47,190 | $102,770 | 590 | 0.76 |
| Washington | $131,620 | $85,390 | $168,610 | 430 | 0.65 |
| West Virginia | $97,210 | $57,180 | $119,990 | 170 | 1.28 |
| Wisconsin | $66,080 | $54,960 | $118,270 | 420 | 0.76 |
| Wyoming | $99,200 | $82,650 | $119,380 | 230 | 4.38 |
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 plant operators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,300. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- 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 plant operators
- 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 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
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
- Power Plant Technology/Technician CIP 15.1702
- Hydroelectric Energy Technology/Technician CIP 15.1705
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
- Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
- Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
- Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
- Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
- Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
- Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.
- Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Continuous emissions monitoring systems CEMS
- Distributed control system DCS
- Email software
- Emerson Ovation
- Gas field monitoring system software
- General Electric Mark VI Distributed Control System DCS
- General Electric Mark VI Integrated Control System ICS
- Interlock shutdown systems
Transferable skills for career changers: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination.
Common job titles: Auxiliary Operator, Control Operator, Control Room Operator, Multicraft Operator (MCO), Operations and Maintenance Technician (O and M Tech), Plant Control Operator, Plant Operator, Power Plant Operator, Station Operator, Unit Operator.
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 plant operators make?
The national median annual wage for power plant operators was $102,040 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $61,790 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $131,940. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do power plant operators 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 plant operators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of power plant operators to change -5.1% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,300 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay power plant operators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($131,620), Nevada ($131,400), New Jersey ($131,370). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.