Average Power Plant Operators Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Power Plant Operators is $102,040 per year. The middle 50% earn between $79,690 and $119,080, with 29,320 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 49 states and 116 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Power Plant Operators pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $61,790
- 25th
- $79,690
- Median
- $102,040
- 75th
- $119,080
- 90th
- $131,940
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
The spread between entry-level and top-end pay is typical for US occupations. Experience and specialization matter, but the range is not unusually wide.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for power plant operators from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -11.2%
- -3,500 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 2,500
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Power Plant Operators earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where power plant operators work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $131,620, about 29.0% above the national median. At the metro level, Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA leads with a median of $145,510.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $131,620 | 430 |
| Nevada | $131,400 | 250 |
| New Jersey | $131,370 | 300 |
| Idaho | $124,440 | 310 |
| North Dakota | $122,160 | 150 |
| Hawaii | $121,700 | 290 |
| Tennessee | $115,920 | 490 |
| Maryland | $111,260 | 330 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $145,510 | 70 |
| Fresno, CA | $138,930 | 130 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $137,030 | N/A |
| Boise City, ID | $134,050 | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $133,380 | 210 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $133,140 | 130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $132,600 | 300 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132,030 | 120 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see power plant operators pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Power Plant Operators rose from $81,990 to $102,040, a gain of +24.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $81,990 would need to be worth $103,248 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $102,040 is −$1,208 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -1.2% in purchasing power.
Wages have roughly kept pace with inflation. Nominal pay rose by 24.5%, but inflation absorbed most of it.
- Nominal change
- +24.5%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- -1.2%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Power Plant Operators median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $102,040
- 2024
- $99,670
- 2023
- $97,010
- 2022
- $93,060
- 2021
- $80,850
- 2020
- $84,650
- 2019
- $81,990
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Power Distributors And Dispatchers
- $106,730
- Gas Plant Operators
- $87,820
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
- $122,890
Common salary questions for Power Plant Operators
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Power Plant Operators workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.