Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Power Distributors and Dispatchers (SOC 51-8012) earn a median $106,730 a year ($51.31 an hour) in the United States, with 8,520 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What power distributors and dispatchers do
Power distributors and dispatchers coordinate and control the flow of electricity or steam among generating stations, substations, distribution lines, and users. Working from instruments and computer data, they monitor and operate the equipment that regulates the flow, and they keep track of the status of circuits and connections. Switching orders and clearances are issued in coordination with engineers, planners, and field crews, so repairs can be made safely while power is rerouted. When a transformer or transmission line fails, they respond to the emergency and route current around the affected area to limit the outage. They may direct control room operators to start or stop boilers and other equipment, and operate controls to adjust or activate distribution machinery. Switching orders are prepared from drawings of power systems, and control board readings are recorded. Line workers who climb poles and repair wires are classified under installation and repair occupations.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a post-secondary certificate is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Auxiliary Operator, Board Operator, Control Area Operator, Control Board Operator, Control Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $34.83 | $43.37 | $51.31 | $62.95 | $74.17 | $53.52 | 8,520 |
| Annual | $72,440 | $90,200 | $106,730 | $130,940 | $154,270 | $111,320 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where power distributors and dispatchers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $45.85 | $61.71 | $69.57 | $80.24 | $94.75 | $70.42 | 380 | 0.11 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $95,370 | $128,350 | $144,710 | $166,910 | $197,080 | $146,470 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $47.56 | $61.44 | $67.02 | $76.62 | $76.63 | $65.98 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.29 |
| Annual | $98,920 | $127,790 | $139,390 | $159,380 | $159,400 | $137,230 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $44.13 | $60.44 | $66.49 | $69.12 | $76.86 | $64.26 | 100 | 0.07 | 1.20 |
| Annual | $91,790 | $125,720 | $138,300 | $143,770 | $159,860 | $133,660 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $48.66 | $51.31 | $66.14 | $84.00 | $100.58 | $69.24 | 670 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $101,200 | $106,730 | $137,570 | $174,730 | $209,200 | $144,010 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $60.20 | $61.87 | $66.10 | $80.10 | $93.92 | $71.04 | 340 | 0.18 | 3.19 |
| Annual | $125,210 | $128,690 | $137,490 | $166,610 | $195,360 | $147,750 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $36.53 | $41.83 | $49.46 | $51.32 | $61.02 | $48.07 | 970 | 0.07 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $75,990 | $87,010 | $102,890 | $106,750 | $126,920 | $99,980 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $48.66 | $51.31 | $66.14 | $84.00 | $100.58 | $69.24 | 670 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $101,200 | $106,730 | $137,570 | $174,730 | $209,200 | $144,010 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $34.17 | $38.07 | $47.56 | $49.38 | $57.43 | $45.28 | 560 | 0.09 | 1.69 |
| Annual | $71,080 | $79,190 | $98,930 | $102,710 | $119,450 | $94,180 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $36.11 | $44.98 | $56.15 | $61.39 | $67.75 | $53.46 | 450 | 0.10 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $75,100 | $93,560 | $116,780 | $127,700 | $140,920 | $111,210 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $47.81 | $49.20 | $58.18 | $64.29 | $70.28 | $56.99 | 390 | 0.11 | 1.94 |
| Annual | $99,440 | $102,330 | $121,010 | $133,710 | $146,180 | $118,540 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $38.36 | $69.24 | $83.23 | $84.00 | $84.99 | $73.88 | 100 | 0.06 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $79,790 | $144,020 | $173,120 | $174,730 | $176,780 | $153,680 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $59.91 | $74.20 | $81.69 | $106.04 | $107.43 | $86.25 | 80 | 0.07 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $124,620 | $154,340 | $169,920 | $220,560 | $223,450 | $179,400 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $61.71 | $63.76 | $77.20 | $89.84 | $96.79 | $75.93 | 80 | 0.04 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $128,350 | $132,610 | $160,570 | $186,870 | $201,310 | $157,940 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $60.20 | $65.12 | $74.85 | $93.92 | $94.05 | $77.36 | 220 | 0.18 | 3.28 |
| Annual | $125,210 | $135,450 | $155,690 | $195,360 | $195,620 | $160,920 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $50.09 | $55.95 | $67.63 | $76.61 | $80.11 | $67.03 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $104,190 | $116,370 | $140,660 | $159,350 | $166,640 | $139,420 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $48.66 | $51.31 | $51.31 | $77.41 | $100.58 | $63.55 | 330 | 0.05 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $101,200 | $106,730 | $106,730 | $161,020 | $209,200 | $132,180 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $47.45 | $52.91 | $64.54 | $67.37 | $73.14 | $62.22 | 330 | 0.03 | 0.63 |
| Annual | $98,700 | $110,060 | $134,250 | $140,120 | $152,120 | $129,420 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $32.14 | $44.89 | $59.68 | $66.26 | $67.75 | $54.26 | 240 | 0.13 | 2.31 |
| Annual | $66,840 | $93,370 | $124,140 | $137,820 | $140,920 | $112,860 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $60.20 | $65.12 | $74.85 | $93.92 | $94.05 | $77.36 | 220 | 0.18 | 3.28 |
| Annual | $125,210 | $135,450 | $155,690 | $195,360 | $195,620 | $160,920 | ||||
| Pittsburgh, PA | Hourly | $33.66 | $37.61 | $49.12 | $49.13 | $49.27 | $43.90 | 210 | 0.19 | 3.45 |
| Annual | $70,010 | $78,230 | $102,170 | $102,180 | $102,490 | $91,320 | ||||
Top industries employing power distributors and dispatchers
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution employ 58.7% of power distributors and dispatchers nationally (5,000 jobs) at a median $104,490 a year ($50.23 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (9.6%) and Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (9.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 5,000 | 58.7% | $104,490 | $50.23 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 820 | 9.6% | $112,400 | $54.04 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 810 | 9.5% | $100,320 | $48.23 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 740 | 8.7% | $130,710 | $62.84 |
| Natural Gas Distribution NAICS 221200 | 560 | 6.6% | $106,730 | $51.31 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (8,520). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $98,530 for power distributors and dispatchers in May 2021 and $106,730 in May 2025, with employment of 9,660 and 8,520.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $98,530 | $47.37 | 9,660 |
| May 2022 | $101,650 | $48.87 | 9,380 |
| May 2023 | $104,750 | $50.36 | 9,040 |
| May 2024 | $107,240 | $51.56 | 9,180 |
| May 2025 | $106,730 | $51.31 | 8,520 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
38 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $69.57 | $144,710 | $95,370 | $197,080 | 380 | 0.11 | 1.94 |
| 2 | New York profile | $67.02 | $139,390 | $98,920 | $159,400 | 150 | 0.02 | 0.29 |
| 3 | Nevada profile | $66.49 | $138,300 | $91,790 | $159,860 | 100 | 0.07 | 1.20 |
| 4 | California profile | $66.14 | $137,570 | $101,200 | $209,200 | 670 | 0.04 | 0.68 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $66.10 | $137,490 | $125,210 | $195,360 | 340 | 0.18 | 3.19 |
| 6 | Idaho profile | $65.65 | $136,550 | $119,540 | $176,140 | 60 | 0.07 | 1.28 |
| 7 | South Dakota profile | $62.63 | $130,270 | $99,650 | $142,960 | 30 | 0.07 | 1.36 |
| 8 | Indiana profile | $62.06 | $129,080 | $84,290 | $157,980 | 90 | 0.03 | 0.54 |
| 9 | New Jersey profile | $61.65 | $128,220 | $102,350 | $151,970 | 330 | 0.08 | 1.42 |
| 10 | Maine profile | $58.42 | $121,520 | $77,270 | $129,240 | 100 | 0.15 | 2.75 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $58.18 | $121,010 | $99,440 | $146,180 | 390 | 0.11 | 1.94 |
| 12 | Wyoming profile | $57.80 | $120,210 | $100,990 | $126,570 | 70 | 0.24 | 4.46 |
| 13 | Arkansas profile | $56.43 | $117,370 | $63,260 | $139,400 | 210 | 0.16 | 2.90 |
| 14 | Kansas profile | $56.16 | $116,810 | $64,960 | $126,430 | 90 | 0.07 | 1.20 |
| 15 | Michigan profile | $56.15 | $116,780 | $75,100 | $140,920 | 450 | 0.10 | 1.87 |
| 16 | Alabama profile | $55.08 | $114,570 | $89,500 | $166,390 | 190 | 0.09 | 1.60 |
| 17 | Maryland profile | $54.64 | $113,660 | $85,560 | $138,250 | 50 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 18 | Minnesota profile | $50.78 | $105,630 | $82,260 | $136,380 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.60 |
| 19 | Kentucky profile | $50.77 | $105,600 | $65,280 | $140,690 | 140 | 0.07 | 1.30 |
| 20 | Oklahoma profile | $50.74 | $105,530 | $60,910 | $140,820 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.56 |
| 21 | Missouri profile | $50.70 | $105,450 | $61,220 | $131,620 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.63 |
| 22 | Iowa profile | $49.51 | $102,980 | $45,400 | $128,490 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | Texas profile | $49.46 | $102,890 | $75,990 | $126,920 | 970 | 0.07 | 1.26 |
| 24 | West Virginia profile | $49.02 | $101,960 | $84,840 | $126,780 | 50 | 0.07 | 1.26 |
| 25 | Illinois profile | $48.79 | $101,470 | $64,360 | $124,310 | 330 | 0.05 | 0.99 |
| 26 | Florida profile | $48.59 | $101,060 | $60,260 | $127,580 | 260 | 0.03 | 0.48 |
| 27 | Ohio profile | $48.23 | $100,320 | $63,610 | $121,720 | 360 | 0.06 | 1.17 |
| 28 | Mississippi profile | $47.58 | $98,960 | $64,930 | $135,510 | 90 | 0.08 | 1.45 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $47.56 | $98,930 | $71,080 | $119,450 | 560 | 0.09 | 1.69 |
| 30 | Nebraska profile | $47.39 | $98,570 | $63,060 | $120,190 | 240 | 0.23 | 4.25 |
| 31 | Arizona profile | $47.36 | $98,510 | $86,300 | $122,050 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.38 |
| 32 | South Carolina profile | $44.02 | $91,570 | $66,510 | $107,550 | 190 | 0.08 | 1.48 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $43.47 | $90,420 | $62,710 | $98,800 | 190 | 0.04 | 0.70 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | $39.97 | $83,140 | $69,610 | $109,100 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.22 |
| 35 | Virginia profile | $38.98 | $81,080 | $60,600 | $107,770 | 330 | 0.08 | 1.47 |
| 36 | Georgia profile | $38.73 | $80,560 | $65,800 | $130,710 | 90 | 0.02 | 0.33 |
| 37 | Tennessee profile | $38.42 | $79,910 | $58,120 | $121,970 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.57 |
| 38 | New Mexico profile | $38.26 | $79,580 | $69,870 | $115,940 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.86 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-8010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-8012 Power Distributors and Dispatchers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-8012, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-8012.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.