The average salary for a power plant operator in the United States is around $81,990 per year.
Avg Salary
Power plant operators earn an average yearly salary of $81,990.
Wages typically start from $45,970 and go up to $108,380.
19% above national average Updated in 2019
Power plant operator earnings by seniority
Top-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$52.10 per hour
$108,380 per year
Senior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$46.61 per hour
$96,940 per year
Mid-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$39.42 per hour
$81,990 per year
Junior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$30.34 per hour
$63,110 per year
Starting level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$22.10 per hour
$45,970 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Power plant operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $95,340 |
| Washington | $93,330 |
| Hawaii | $92,620 |
| North Dakota | $92,350 |
| Maryland | $91,770 |
| New York | $90,690 |
| New Jersey | $88,110 |
| Nevada | $87,460 |
| North Carolina | $85,980 |
| Montana | $85,340 |
| Minnesota | $84,830 |
| Oregon | $82,500 |
| Colorado | $82,030 |
| New Mexico | $81,520 |
| Wyoming | $81,160 |
| Tennessee | $80,970 |
| Massachusetts | $80,590 |
| Alabama | $79,676 |
| Michigan | $78,850 |
| Utah | $78,070 |
| Iowa | $77,610 |
| Kentucky | $76,960 |
| Texas | $76,520 |
| Missouri | $76,100 |
| Mississippi | $75,840 |
| Connecticut | $74,880 |
| Nebraska | $74,290 |
| Florida | $74,250 |
| South Carolina | $73,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,720 |
| Ohio | $73,260 |
| Louisiana | $72,390 |
| Illinois | $71,986 |
| Arkansas | $71,710 |
| South Dakota | $71,590 |
| Georgia | $71,480 |
| Oklahoma | $69,900 |
| West Virginia | $68,800 |
| Indiana | $68,330 |
| Maine | $68,110 |
| New Hampshire | $66,730 |
| Wisconsin | $64,030 |
| Idaho | $62,720 |
| Rhode Island | $61,010 |
| Vermont | $60,560 |
| Virginia | $56,200 |
| Alaska | $55,620 |
| Kansas | $53,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,800 |
How do power plant operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Power plant operators earn 7% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than biomass power plant managers but more than commercial divers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomass power plant manager salary | $105K |
| Industrial production manager salary | $98K |
| Elevator mechanic salary | $85K |
| Power plant operator salary | $82K |
| Petroleum pump system operator salary | $74K |
| Aviation inspector salary | $76K |
| Industrial designer salary | $67K |
| Commercial diver salary | $50K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)