SOC 51-8013 · Production Occupations

Power Plant Operators

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$102,040

U.S. median hourly wage$49.06

U.S. employment29,320

Nationally, power plant operators earned a median of $102,040 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 29,320 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Power Plant Operators: pay and employment by state
State
Washington	$131,620	$63.28	430	0.1
Nevada	$131,400	$63.17	250	0.2
New Jersey	$131,370	$63.16	300	0.1
Idaho	$124,440	$59.83	310	0.4
North Dakota	$122,160	$58.73	150	0.4
Hawaii	$121,700	$58.51	290	0.5
Tennessee	$115,920	$55.73	490	0.2
Maryland	$111,260	$53.49	330	0.1
Oregon	$109,830	$52.80	250	0.1
North Carolina	$108,300	$52.07	420	0.1
Georgia	$107,580	$51.72	590	0.1
Utah	$107,120	$51.50	420	0.2
Alabama	$107,080	$51.48	790	0.4
Indiana	$107,000	$51.44	1,190	0.4
New York	$106,990	$51.44	1,960	0.2
Montana	$106,040	$50.98	130	0.2
Michigan	$105,820	$50.88	1,220	0.3
New Mexico	$105,510	$50.73	130	0.1
California	$105,210	$50.58	2,610	0.1
Illinois	$104,440	$50.21	1,160	0.2
Ohio	$104,160	$50.08	730	0.1
Delaware	$103,010	$49.53	80	0.2
Colorado	$102,780	$49.42	250	0.1
Texas	$102,510	$49.28	2,100	0.1
Mississippi	$102,400	$49.23	450	0.4
Missouri	$101,900	$48.99	Not published	Not published
Louisiana	$101,170	$48.64	370	0.2
Iowa	$100,500	$48.32	470	0.3
Massachusetts	$100,140	$48.14	880	0.2
Wyoming	$99,200	$47.69	230	0.8
Nebraska	$98,210	$47.22	360	0.4
Rhode Island	$98,050	$47.14	50	0.1
Arkansas	$97,760	$47.00	220	0.2
Connecticut	$97,460	$46.85	250	0.1
West Virginia	$97,210	$46.74	170	0.2
Pennsylvania	$95,800	$46.06	1,010	0.2
Minnesota	$94,390	$45.38	970	0.3
Florida	$94,290	$45.33	1,640	0.2
Kentucky	$93,400	$44.90	690	0.3
Alaska	$88,870	$42.73	650	2.0
Oklahoma	$88,590	$42.59	520	0.3
Arizona	$84,970	$40.85	390	0.1
New Hampshire	$81,070	$38.98	90	0.1
Maine	$81,060	$38.97	190	0.3
Kansas	$79,980	$38.45	520	0.4
South Carolina	$79,900	$38.41	680	0.3
Vermont	$78,240	$37.62	140	0.5
Virginia	$73,640	$35.41	590	0.1
Puerto Rico	$70,640	$33.96	210	0.2
Wisconsin	$66,080	$31.77	420	0.1
Guam	$61,230	$29.44	60	0.8

Pay by metro area

All 116 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Power Plant Operators: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA	$145,510	$69.96	70	1.4
Fresno, CA	$138,930	$66.80	130	0.3
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$137,030	$65.88	Not published	Not published
Boise City, ID	$134,050	$64.45	70	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$133,380	$64.13	210	0.2
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$133,140	$64.01	130	0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$132,600	$63.75	300	0.1
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$132,030	$63.48	120	0.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$131,770	$63.35	1,090	0.1
Reno, NV	$129,020	$62.03	60	0.2
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$126,190	$60.67	100	0.1
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$124,950	$60.07	90	0.0
New Haven, CT	$123,840	$59.54	50	0.2
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$123,540	$59.40	640	0.1
Urban Honolulu, HI	$122,020	$58.66	170	0.4
Jacksonville, FL	$119,550	$57.48	90	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$119,380	$57.39	260	0.1
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$119,080	$57.25	120	0.2
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT	$117,850	$56.66	50	0.2
Chattanooga, TN-GA	$115,920	$55.73	60	0.2
Decatur, AL	$115,920	$55.73	30	0.5
Knoxville, TN	$115,920	$55.73	90	0.2
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$113,540	$54.59	90	0.4
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$111,260	$53.49	230	0.2
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	$110,950	$53.34	220	0.2
Kansas City, MO-KS	$110,410	$53.08	230	0.2
Columbus, OH	$110,030	$52.90	130	0.1
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$109,820	$52.80	220	0.2
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$109,090	$52.45	100	0.1
Port St. Lucie, FL	$109,090	$52.45	50	0.3
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$108,050	$51.95	300	0.2
Toledo, OH	$107,440	$51.65	50	0.2
Montgomery, AL	$107,080	$51.48	60	0.4
Birmingham, AL	$106,990	$51.44	280	0.5
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$106,720	$51.31	240	0.1
Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL	$106,540	$51.22	100	0.4
Omaha, NE-IA	$106,520	$51.21	80	0.2
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$105,870	$50.90	540	0.1
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$105,740	$50.84	170	0.1
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$105,370	$50.66	80	0.1
Cedar Rapids, IA	$104,920	$50.44	40	0.3
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$104,620	$50.30	530	0.2
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$104,440	$50.21	120	0.3
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$104,190	$50.09	110	0.7
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$104,120	$50.06	120	0.2
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$103,900	$49.95	640	0.2
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$103,300	$49.66	150	0.3
Lansing-East Lansing, MI	$103,230	$49.63	80	0.4
Terre Haute, IN	$103,030	$49.53	80	1.3
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$102,940	$49.49	30	0.1
Alexandria, LA	$102,830	$49.44	40	0.7
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$102,780	$49.42	90	0.1
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC	$102,240	$49.16	40	0.3
Springfield, IL	$102,130	$49.10	40	0.4
Lubbock, TX	$101,900	$48.99	40	0.2
St. Louis, MO-IL	$101,820	$48.95	Not published	Not published
College Station-Bryan, TX	$101,560	$48.83	40	0.3
Tulsa, OK	$101,470	$48.78	100	0.2
Worcester, MA	$101,420	$48.76	70	0.2
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$101,350	$48.73	310	0.1
Oklahoma City, OK	$101,140	$48.63	80	0.1
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$100,700	$48.42	Not published	Not published
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH	$100,300	$48.22	30	0.2
Longview, TX	$100,180	$48.16	120	1.0
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$99,470	$47.82	90	0.1
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$99,020	$47.61	60	0.2
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$99,000	$47.60	470	0.2
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$98,950	$47.57	50	0.0
Bay City, MI	$98,930	$47.56	50	1.6
Manhattan, KS	$98,840	$47.52	70	1.4
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$98,060	$47.14	270	0.2
Burlington-South Burlington, VT	$97,800	$47.02	60	0.5
El Paso, TX	$97,670	$46.96	80	0.2
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	$97,640	$46.94	40	0.1
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$97,320	$46.79	80	0.1
Syracuse, NY	$97,300	$46.78	290	1.0
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$96,650	$46.47	70	0.1
Anchorage, AK	$96,630	$46.46	150	0.8
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$95,780	$46.05	50	0.1
Springfield, MA	$94,860	$45.60	30	0.2
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$94,760	$45.56	200	0.6
Longview-Kelso, WA	$94,660	$45.51	Not published	Not published
Duluth, MN-WI	$94,390	$45.38	220	1.8
Pittsburgh, PA	$93,870	$45.13	140	0.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$92,320	$44.39	240	0.1
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	$89,460	$43.01	50	0.1
Fairbanks-College, AK	$88,870	$42.73	60	1.7
Portland-South Portland, ME	$88,520	$42.56	70	0.2
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$86,280	$41.48	80	0.2
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX	$85,350	$41.03	170	0.1
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$84,690	$40.72	290	0.2
Lexington-Fayette, KY	$84,150	$40.46	30	0.1
Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC	$81,580	$39.22	60	0.1
Rochester, NY	$80,820	$38.86	40	0.1
Charleston-North Charleston, SC	$79,900	$38.41	150	0.4
Columbia, SC	$79,600	$38.27	150	0.4
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT	$79,450	$38.20	30	0.3
Gainesville, FL	$78,890	$37.93	50	0.3
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	$76,550	$36.80	30	0.4
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	$75,300	$36.20	50	0.1
Watertown-Fort Drum, NY	$75,140	$36.13	50	1.2
Madison, WI	$73,300	$35.24	100	0.2
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR	$71,180	$34.22	70	0.1
Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL	$71,070	$34.17	30	0.2
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	$67,580	$32.49	150	0.1
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$66,500	$31.97	110	0.1
Green Bay, WI	$66,080	$31.77	40	0.2
Glens Falls, NY	$64,580	$31.05	40	0.8
Richmond, VA	$63,640	$30.60	60	0.1
Wichita, KS	$63,240	$30.41	70	0.2
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$62,080	$29.85	380	0.1
Savannah, GA	$59,010	$28.37	40	0.2
Las Cruces, NM	$57,980	$27.88	30	0.4
Charlottesville, VA	Not published	Not published	40	0.3
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	Not published	Not published	90	0.4
Topeka, KS	Not published	Not published	50	0.4

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.