Power Plant Operators
Power Plant Operators (SOC 51-8013) earn a median $102,040 a year ($49.06 an hour) in the United States, with 29,320 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What power plant operators do
Power plant operators control, operate, and maintain the machinery that generates electric power. Boilers, turbines, generators, and in some cases fuel cells and microturbines are the equipment, and nuclear reactor operators are counted in a separate occupation. Operators watch control boards or semi-automatic systems, read charts, meters, and gauges at set intervals, and take regulatory action in response. They match generator output to the phase, frequency, and voltage of the power supplied to the panels, and they start or stop generators, pumps, and turbines as demand changes. Auxiliary equipment operators, who assist in the plant, are included. Equipment and indicators are monitored for signs of operating problems, and valves and switches are operated in a set order to bring auxiliary units on or off line. Some operators run on-site generation equipment for manufacturing or other commercial purposes. Dispatchers who direct the flow of power across the grid are classified separately.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Asphalt Plant Operator, Auxiliary Equipment Tender, Auxiliary Operator, Auxiliary Power Equipment Operator, Batch Plant Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $29.71 | $38.31 | $49.06 | $57.25 | $63.44 | $47.97 | 29,320 |
| Annual | $61,790 | $79,690 | $102,040 | $119,080 | $131,940 | $99,790 | ||
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 plant operators 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 | $41.05 | $49.25 | $63.28 | $73.13 | $81.06 | $61.65 | 430 | 0.12 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $85,390 | $102,440 | $131,620 | $152,110 | $168,610 | $128,230 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $34.50 | $45.32 | $63.17 | $64.12 | $68.08 | $55.66 | 250 | 0.16 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $71,760 | $94,270 | $131,400 | $133,370 | $141,600 | $115,780 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $40.15 | $59.20 | $63.16 | $63.35 | $63.44 | $57.90 | 300 | 0.07 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $83,510 | $123,130 | $131,370 | $131,770 | $131,940 | $120,430 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $33.15 | $49.32 | $59.83 | $62.53 | $66.19 | $54.08 | 310 | 0.36 | 1.90 |
| Annual | $68,960 | $102,590 | $124,440 | $130,070 | $137,670 | $112,490 | ||||
| North Dakota | Hourly | $50.14 | $55.39 | $58.73 | $58.73 | $64.56 | $55.97 | 150 | 0.36 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $104,300 | $115,210 | $122,160 | $122,160 | $134,280 | $116,410 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $30.54 | $38.59 | $50.58 | $63.75 | $82.60 | $53.35 | 2,610 | 0.14 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $63,510 | $80,270 | $105,210 | $132,600 | $171,800 | $110,960 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $26.69 | $31.94 | $49.28 | $56.41 | $61.40 | $46.63 | 2,100 | 0.15 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $55,500 | $66,430 | $102,510 | $117,340 | $127,710 | $97,000 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $31.05 | $39.93 | $51.44 | $64.24 | $68.42 | $52.34 | 1,960 | 0.20 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $64,580 | $83,060 | $106,990 | $133,620 | $142,310 | $108,880 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $23.00 | $31.44 | $45.33 | $52.80 | $60.74 | $43.22 | 1,640 | 0.17 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $47,840 | $65,400 | $94,290 | $109,820 | $126,330 | $89,890 | ||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $35.83 | $47.76 | $50.88 | $59.66 | $63.10 | $50.70 | 1,220 | 0.28 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $74,520 | $99,350 | $105,820 | $124,090 | $131,250 | $105,460 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | Hourly | $67.18 | $69.96 | $69.96 | $79.55 | $82.86 | $72.56 | 70 | 1.44 | 7.65 |
| Annual | $139,730 | $145,510 | $145,510 | $165,460 | $172,350 | $150,930 | ||||
| Fresno, CA | Hourly | $30.57 | $48.75 | $66.80 | $85.65 | $85.65 | $63.12 | 130 | 0.28 | 1.47 |
| Annual | $63,590 | $101,400 | $138,930 | $178,150 | $178,150 | $131,280 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $49.59 | $52.79 | $65.88 | $68.83 | $73.94 | $61.79 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $103,150 | $109,800 | $137,030 | $143,160 | $153,790 | $128,530 | ||||
| Boise City, ID | Hourly | $31.49 | $33.15 | $64.45 | $65.88 | $65.93 | $52.23 | 70 | 0.19 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $65,490 | $68,960 | $134,050 | $137,020 | $137,130 | $108,630 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $36.09 | $40.62 | $64.13 | $86.22 | $101.59 | $65.05 | 210 | 0.19 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $75,070 | $84,500 | $133,380 | $179,330 | $211,300 | $135,310 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $40.15 | $49.80 | $63.35 | $66.03 | $72.18 | $59.53 | 1,090 | 0.12 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $83,510 | $103,570 | $131,770 | $137,340 | $150,120 | $123,810 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $32.96 | $39.16 | $49.95 | $59.07 | $62.91 | $49.42 | 640 | 0.24 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $68,550 | $81,440 | $103,900 | $122,860 | $130,850 | $102,800 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $42.75 | $51.73 | $59.40 | $61.48 | $61.87 | $55.84 | 640 | 0.14 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $88,910 | $107,600 | $123,540 | $127,890 | $128,690 | $116,150 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $35.16 | $41.16 | $50.90 | $60.45 | $64.44 | $50.88 | 540 | 0.09 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $73,140 | $85,620 | $105,870 | $125,730 | $134,040 | $105,840 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $25.81 | $30.15 | $50.30 | $58.39 | $60.11 | $45.16 | 530 | 0.16 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $53,680 | $62,710 | $104,620 | $121,440 | $125,030 | $93,920 | ||||
Top industries employing power plant operators
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution employ 67.2% of power plant operators nationally (19,690 jobs) at a median $104,970 a year ($50.47 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (10.4%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (2.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 19,690 | 67.2% | $104,970 | $50.47 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 3,050 | 10.4% | $91,360 | $43.92 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 690 | 2.4% | $63,620 | $30.59 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 640 | 2.2% | $115,920 | $55.73 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999200 | 640 | 2.2% | $75,570 | $36.33 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (29,320). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $80,850 for power plant operators in May 2021 and $102,040 in May 2025, with employment of 28,960 and 29,320.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $80,850 | $38.87 | 28,960 |
| May 2022 | $93,060 | $44.74 | 31,590 |
| May 2023 | $97,010 | $46.64 | 31,490 |
| May 2024 | $99,670 | $47.92 | 30,720 |
| May 2025 | $102,040 | $49.06 | 29,320 |
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
49 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 | $63.28 | $131,620 | $85,390 | $168,610 | 430 | 0.12 | 0.65 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $63.17 | $131,400 | $71,760 | $141,600 | 250 | 0.16 | 0.86 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $63.16 | $131,370 | $83,510 | $131,940 | 300 | 0.07 | 0.37 |
| 4 | Idaho profile | $59.83 | $124,440 | $68,960 | $137,670 | 310 | 0.36 | 1.90 |
| 5 | North Dakota profile | $58.73 | $122,160 | $104,300 | $134,280 | 150 | 0.36 | 1.89 |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | $58.51 | $121,700 | $103,430 | $134,770 | 290 | 0.46 | 2.43 |
| 7 | Tennessee profile | $55.73 | $115,920 | $68,060 | $125,690 | 490 | 0.15 | 0.80 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $53.49 | $111,260 | $85,120 | $122,030 | 330 | 0.12 | 0.64 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $52.80 | $109,830 | $76,740 | $145,110 | 250 | 0.13 | 0.66 |
| 10 | North Carolina profile | $52.07 | $108,300 | $62,580 | $132,040 | 420 | 0.08 | 0.45 |
| 11 | Georgia profile | $51.72 | $107,580 | $58,660 | $124,670 | 590 | 0.12 | 0.64 |
| 12 | Utah profile | $51.50 | $107,120 | $77,440 | $126,190 | 420 | 0.24 | 1.27 |
| 13 | Alabama profile | $51.48 | $107,080 | $76,250 | $123,520 | 790 | 0.37 | 1.99 |
| 14 | Indiana profile | $51.44 | $107,000 | $76,700 | $123,540 | 1,190 | 0.37 | 1.97 |
| 15 | New York profile | $51.44 | $106,990 | $64,580 | $142,310 | 1,960 | 0.20 | 1.07 |
| 16 | Montana profile | $50.98 | $106,040 | $62,840 | $120,560 | 130 | 0.25 | 1.32 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | $50.88 | $105,820 | $74,520 | $131,250 | 1,220 | 0.28 | 1.47 |
| 18 | New Mexico profile | $50.73 | $105,510 | $46,350 | $121,690 | 130 | 0.15 | 0.77 |
| 19 | California profile | $50.58 | $105,210 | $63,510 | $171,800 | 2,610 | 0.14 | 0.76 |
| 20 | Illinois profile | $50.21 | $104,440 | $77,330 | $128,040 | 1,160 | 0.19 | 1.01 |
| 21 | Ohio profile | $50.08 | $104,160 | $69,180 | $119,170 | 730 | 0.13 | 0.70 |
| 22 | Delaware profile | $49.53 | $103,010 | $85,750 | $128,330 | 80 | 0.16 | 0.86 |
| 23 | Colorado profile | $49.42 | $102,780 | $76,900 | $137,720 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.46 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $49.28 | $102,510 | $55,500 | $127,710 | 2,100 | 0.15 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Mississippi profile | $49.23 | $102,400 | $65,770 | $125,690 | 450 | 0.39 | 2.05 |
| 26 | Missouri profile | $48.99 | $101,900 | $60,120 | $128,430 | ** | ** | ** |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $48.64 | $101,170 | $62,410 | $123,910 | 370 | 0.19 | 1.01 |
| 28 | Iowa profile | $48.32 | $100,500 | $63,320 | $109,690 | 470 | 0.30 | 1.61 |
| 29 | Massachusetts profile | $48.14 | $100,140 | $68,150 | $130,850 | 880 | 0.24 | 1.29 |
| 30 | Wyoming profile | $47.69 | $99,200 | $82,650 | $119,380 | 230 | 0.83 | 4.38 |
| 31 | Nebraska profile | $47.22 | $98,210 | $65,850 | $125,570 | 360 | 0.36 | 1.89 |
| 32 | Rhode Island profile | $47.14 | $98,050 | $69,570 | $134,120 | 50 | 0.11 | 0.56 |
| 33 | Arkansas profile | $47.00 | $97,760 | $62,000 | $102,650 | 220 | 0.17 | 0.89 |
| 34 | Connecticut profile | $46.85 | $97,460 | $76,110 | $131,410 | 250 | 0.15 | 0.78 |
| 35 | West Virginia profile | $46.74 | $97,210 | $57,180 | $119,990 | 170 | 0.24 | 1.28 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania profile | $46.06 | $95,800 | $64,010 | $128,180 | 1,010 | 0.17 | 0.89 |
| 37 | Minnesota profile | $45.38 | $94,390 | $72,540 | $125,900 | 970 | 0.33 | 1.75 |
| 38 | Florida profile | $45.33 | $94,290 | $47,840 | $126,330 | 1,640 | 0.17 | 0.88 |
| 39 | Kentucky profile | $44.90 | $93,400 | $66,830 | $118,400 | 690 | 0.35 | 1.83 |
| 40 | Alaska profile | $42.73 | $88,870 | $43,260 | $135,690 | 650 | 2.00 | 10.60 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $42.59 | $88,590 | $55,390 | $107,640 | 520 | 0.31 | 1.63 |
| 42 | Arizona profile | $40.85 | $84,970 | $57,560 | $118,910 | 390 | 0.12 | 0.64 |
| 43 | New Hampshire profile | $38.98 | $81,070 | $58,010 | $128,510 | 90 | 0.14 | 0.72 |
| 44 | Maine profile | $38.97 | $81,060 | $61,220 | $106,910 | 190 | 0.30 | 1.59 |
| 45 | Kansas profile | $38.45 | $79,980 | $46,580 | $129,990 | 520 | 0.36 | 1.92 |
| 46 | South Carolina profile | $38.41 | $79,900 | $58,880 | $100,200 | 680 | 0.30 | 1.56 |
| 47 | Vermont profile | $37.62 | $78,240 | $49,110 | $127,790 | 140 | 0.45 | 2.41 |
| 48 | Virginia profile | $35.41 | $73,640 | $47,190 | $102,770 | 590 | 0.14 | 0.76 |
| 49 | Wisconsin profile | $31.77 | $66,080 | $54,960 | $118,270 | 420 | 0.14 | 0.76 |
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 51-8013 Power Plant Operators.
**- 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 51-8013, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-8013.00, 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.