Average Salary for Power Plant Operators
SOC 51-8013 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Power Plant Operators in the United States is $99,670 ($47.92/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $59,930 at the 10th percentile to $128,760 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 30,720 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 42.2% since 2014.
Median Annual
$99,670
Mean Annual
$95,990
10th Pct
$59,930
75th Pct
$111,980
Employment
30,720
Salary Distribution
$60k
10th
$77k
25th
$100k
Median
$112k
75th
$129k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $156,260 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $140,800 |
| Fresno, CA | $136,640 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $136,300 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $133,460 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $128,340 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $127,190 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $122,490 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $120,990 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $118,520 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $118,490 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $112,680 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $110,990 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $110,450 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $110,190 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington | $124,050 |
| New York | $121,760 |
| Hawaii | $115,190 |
| Oregon | $114,500 |
| New Jersey | $109,970 |
| North Dakota | $109,340 |
| Tennessee | $107,380 |
| Arizona | $107,210 |
| Nevada | $106,990 |
| Maryland | $106,300 |
| California | $105,520 |
| South Dakota | $105,400 |
| Wyoming | $105,330 |
| Michigan | $103,880 |
| Utah | $103,760 |
| Alabama | $103,640 |
| Georgia | $103,590 |
| Texas | $103,120 |
| Illinois | $103,020 |
| Idaho | $102,750 |
| Indiana | $102,730 |
| Montana | $102,610 |
| Massachusetts | $102,080 |
| Delaware | $101,790 |
| Rhode Island | $100,840 |
| North Carolina | $99,290 |
| Iowa | $98,880 |
| Nebraska | $98,760 |
| New Mexico | $98,690 |
| Colorado | $98,570 |
| Vermont | $98,260 |
| Ohio | $97,810 |
| West Virginia | $96,230 |
| Mississippi | $94,930 |
| Louisiana | $94,500 |
| Connecticut | $92,310 |
| Kansas | $89,630 |
| Arkansas | $88,860 |
| Minnesota | $88,090 |
| Kentucky | $87,330 |
| Missouri | $86,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $85,260 |
| Alaska | $85,070 |
| Florida | $84,030 |
| Wisconsin | $81,250 |
| Oklahoma | $80,780 |
| South Carolina | $78,580 |
| Virginia | $78,460 |
| Maine | $78,080 |
| New Hampshire | $72,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $63,270 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Power Plant Operators broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Natural Gas Distribution | $139,200 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $108,040 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $108,040 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $107,870 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $107,870 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $107,870 |
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $107,190 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $103,640 |
| Utilities | $102,950 |
| Utilities | $102,950 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $102,740 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $101,190 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $95,730 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $95,730 |
| Hydroelectric Power Generation | $95,150 |
| Solar Electric Power Generation | $94,570 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $87,350 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $86,010 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $85,640 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $81,320 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $81,320 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $81,320 |
| Pipeline Transportation | $79,250 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | $79,250 |
| Other Electric Power Generation | $79,050 |
| Facilities Support Services | $78,680 |
| Engineering Services | $78,530 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $78,530 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $78,530 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $78,520 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $78,400 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | $78,400 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | $77,660 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $77,560 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $76,920 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $76,840 |
| Paper Manufacturing | $76,560 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $76,560 |
| Wind Electric Power Generation | $75,600 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $74,700 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $74,670 |
| Geothermal Electric Power Generation | $72,950 |
| Manufacturing | $71,470 |
| Educational Services | $70,160 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $68,660 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $67,050 |
| Hospitals | $66,800 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $65,010 |
| Food Manufacturing | $64,490 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $64,370 |
| Biomass Electric Power Generation | $63,470 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $63,010 |
| Educational Services | $61,960 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $60,450 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $59,040 |
| Temporary Help Services | $56,840 |
| Employment Services | $56,840 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $38,090 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $99,670 |
| 2023 | $97,010 |
| 2022 | $93,060 |
| 2021 | $80,850 |
| 2020 | $84,650 |
| 2019 | $81,990 |
| 2018 | $79,610 |
| 2017 | $77,180 |
| 2016 | $74,690 |
| 2015 | $71,940 |
| 2014 | $70,070 |