Power Plant Operators salary

The median pay for power plant operators in the United States is $102,040 a year. About 29,320 people hold this job.

Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience. BLS does not report experience, so reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only a rough guide. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.

How to become: education, skills and job outlook

Highest-paying states · Highest-paying cities

By state

• Washington $131,620
• Nevada $131,400
• New Jersey $131,370
• Idaho $124,440
• North Dakota $122,160
• Hawaii $121,700
• Tennessee $115,920
• Maryland $111,260
• Oregon $109,830
• North Carolina $108,300
• Georgia $107,580
• Utah $107,120
• Alabama $107,080
• Indiana $107,000
• New York $106,990
• Montana $106,040
• Michigan $105,820
• New Mexico $105,510
• California $105,210
• Illinois $104,440
• Ohio $104,160
• Delaware $103,010
• Colorado $102,780
• Texas $102,510
• Mississippi $102,400
• Louisiana $101,170
• Iowa $100,500
• Massachusetts $100,140
• Wyoming $99,200
• Nebraska $98,210
• Rhode Island $98,050
• Arkansas $97,760
• Connecticut $97,460
• West Virginia $97,210
• Pennsylvania $95,800
• Minnesota $94,390
• Florida $94,290
• Kentucky $93,400
• Alaska $88,870
• Oklahoma $88,590
• Arizona $84,970
• New Hampshire $81,070
• Maine $81,060
• Kansas $79,980
• South Carolina $79,900
• Vermont $78,240
• Virginia $73,640
• Wisconsin $66,080

By metro area

• Wenatchee, WA $145,510
• Fresno, CA $138,930
• Boise City, ID $134,050
• Sacramento, CA $133,380
• Las Vegas, NV $133,140
• San Francisco, CA $132,600
• Charlotte, NC $132,030
• New York, NY $131,770
• Reno, NV $129,020
• Salt Lake City, UT $126,190
• Seattle, WA $124,950
• New Haven, CT $123,840
• Chicago, IL $123,540
• Urban Honolulu, HI $122,020
• Jacksonville, FL $119,550
• Atlanta, GA $119,380
• Memphis, TN $119,080
• Provo, UT $117,850
• Chattanooga, TN $115,920
• Decatur, AL $115,920
• Knoxville, TN $115,920
• Augusta, GA $113,540
• Baltimore, MD $111,260
• San Antonio, TX $110,950
• Kansas City, MO $110,410
• Columbus, OH $110,030
• Cincinnati, OH $109,820
• Indianapolis, IN $109,090
• Port St. Lucie, FL $109,090
• Detroit, MI $108,050
• Toledo, OH $107,440
• Montgomery, AL $107,080
• Birmingham, AL $106,990
• Dallas, TX $106,720
• Lakeland, FL $106,540
• Omaha, NE $106,520
• Los Angeles, CA $105,870
• Tampa, FL $105,740
• Nashville, TN $105,370
• Cedar Rapids, IA $104,920
• Houston, TX $104,620
• New Orleans, LA $104,440
• Gulfport, MS $104,190
• Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $104,120
• Boston, MA $103,900
• Albany, NY $103,300
• Lansing, MI $103,230
• Terre Haute, IN $103,030
• Stockton, CA $102,940
• Alexandria, LA $102,830
• Denver, CO $102,780
• Hickory, NC $102,240
• Springfield, IL $102,130
• Lubbock, TX $101,900
• College Station, TX $101,560
• Tulsa, OK $101,470
• Worcester, MA $101,420
• Philadelphia, PA $101,350
• Oklahoma City, OK $101,140
• Huntington, WV $100,300
• Longview, TX $100,180
• San Diego, CA $99,470
• Kiryas Joel, NY $99,020
• Minneapolis, MN $99,000
• San Jose, CA $98,950
• Bay City, MI $98,930
• Manhattan, KS $98,840
• Riverside, CA $98,060
• Burlington, VT $97,800
• El Paso, TX $97,670
• Spokane, WA $97,640
• Providence, RI $97,320
• Syracuse, NY $97,300
• Hartford, CT $96,650
• Anchorage, AK $96,630
• Bridgeport, CT $95,780
• Springfield, MA $94,860
• Bakersfield, CA $94,760
• Duluth, MN $94,390
• Pittsburgh, PA $93,870
• Washington, DC $92,320
• Little Rock, AR $89,460
• Fairbanks, AK $88,870
• Portland, ME $88,520
• Buffalo, NY $86,280
• Austin, TX $85,350
• Orlando, FL $84,690
• Lexington, KY $84,150
• Greenville, SC $81,580
• Rochester, NY $80,820
• Charleston, SC $79,900
• Columbia, SC $79,600
• Norwich, CT $79,450
• Gainesville, FL $78,890
• Waterloo, IA $76,550
• Milwaukee, WI $75,300
• Watertown, NY $75,140
• Madison, WI $73,300
• Pensacola, FL $71,070
• Phoenix, AZ $67,580
• Virginia Beach, VA $66,500
• Green Bay, WI $66,080
• Glens Falls, NY $64,580
• Richmond, VA $63,640
• Wichita, KS $63,240
• Miami, FL $62,080
• Savannah, GA $59,010
• Las Cruces, NM $57,980