Power Plant Operators Salary by State and Metro Area
Power Plant Operators in the United States earn a median salary of $102,040/year ($49.06/hr). Salaries range from $61,790 to $131,940 depending on experience. Below, compare salaries across 49 states and 30 metro areas where BLS publishes data.
$62K
10th percentile
$80K
25th percentile
$102K
Median
$119K
75th percentile
$132K
90th percentile
Where Power Plant Operators have the most money left over after rent
Median pay minus estimated federal + state + FICA taxes, minus 12 months of rent at HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. Darker green means more money left over each year. Hover any state for the breakdown.
View map data as a table
| State | Median (nominal) | Rent/mo (2BR) | Left after rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada | $131K | $1,501 | $83K |
| North Dakota | $122K | $1,034 | $79K |
| Washington | $132K | $1,830 | $79K |
| Idaho | $124K | $1,136 | $76K |
| Tennessee | $116K | $1,215 | $75K |
| New Jersey | $131K | $2,067 | $69K |
| Indiana | $107K | $1,144 | $67K |
| Wyoming | $99K | $1,008 | $66K |
| Alabama | $107K | $1,085 | $66K |
| New Mexico | $106K | $1,119 | $65K |
| Ohio | $104K | $1,188 | $65K |
| Montana | $106K | $1,129 | $64K |
| North Carolina | $108K | $1,284 | $64K |
| Texas | $103K | $1,415 | $64K |
| Michigan | $106K | $1,272 | $63K |
| Mississippi | $102K | $1,077 | $63K |
| Missouri | $102K | $1,097 | $63K |
| Utah | $107K | $1,350 | $63K |
| Louisiana | $101K | $1,191 | $62K |
| Georgia | $108K | $1,434 | $61K |
| Iowa | $101K | $1,064 | $61K |
| West Virginia | $97K | $1,008 | $61K |
| Arkansas | $98K | $1,021 | $61K |
| Illinois | $104K | $1,407 | $60K |
| Maryland | $111K | $1,795 | $60K |
| Nebraska | $98K | $1,113 | $60K |
| Delaware | $103K | $1,448 | $58K |
| Hawaii | $122K | $2,240 | $58K |
| Oregon | $110K | $1,555 | $58K |
| Kentucky | $93K | $1,110 | $57K |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | $1,351 | $57K |
| Florida | $94K | $1,658 | $55K |
| New York | $107K | $1,917 | $55K |
| Rhode Island | $98K | $1,544 | $55K |
| Oklahoma | $89K | $1,081 | $54K |
| Colorado | $103K | $1,832 | $54K |
| Minnesota | $94K | $1,384 | $53K |
| Connecticut | $97K | $1,679 | $52K |
| Alaska | $89K | $1,643 | $51K |
| Arizona | $85K | $1,437 | $49K |
| Kansas | $80K | $1,066 | $48K |
| New Hampshire | $81K | $1,528 | $47K |
| California | $105K | $2,471 | $47K |
| Maine | $81K | $1,281 | $46K |
| Massachusetts | $100K | $2,347 | $46K |
| South Carolina | $80K | $1,263 | $46K |
| Vermont | $78K | $1,498 | $43K |
| Wisconsin | $66K | $1,202 | $38K |
| Virginia | $74K | $1,646 | $37K |
Power Plant Operators salary by state
| State | Median | Hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $132K | $63.28/hr | 430 |
| Nevada | $131K | $63.17/hr | 250 |
| New Jersey | $131K | $63.16/hr | 300 |
| Idaho | $124K | $59.83/hr | 310 |
| North Dakota | $122K | $58.73/hr | 150 |
| Hawaii | $122K | $58.51/hr | 290 |
| Tennessee | $116K | $55.73/hr | 490 |
| Maryland | $111K | $53.49/hr | 330 |
| Oregon | $110K | $52.8/hr | 250 |
| North Carolina | $108K | $52.07/hr | 420 |
| Georgia | $108K | $51.72/hr | 590 |
| Utah | $107K | $51.5/hr | 420 |
| Alabama | $107K | $51.48/hr | 790 |
| Indiana | $107K | $51.44/hr | 1,190 |
| New York | $107K | $51.44/hr | 1,960 |
| Montana | $106K | $50.98/hr | 130 |
| Michigan | $106K | $50.88/hr | 1,220 |
| New Mexico | $106K | $50.73/hr | 130 |
| California | $105K | $50.58/hr | 2,610 |
| Illinois | $104K | $50.21/hr | 1,160 |
| Ohio | $104K | $50.08/hr | 730 |
| Delaware | $103K | $49.53/hr | 80 |
| Colorado | $103K | $49.42/hr | 250 |
| Texas | $103K | $49.28/hr | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $102K | $49.23/hr | 450 |
| Missouri | $102K | $48.99/hr | , |
| Louisiana | $101K | $48.64/hr | 370 |
| Iowa | $101K | $48.32/hr | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $100K | $48.14/hr | 880 |
| Wyoming | $99K | $47.69/hr | 230 |
| Nebraska | $98K | $47.22/hr | 360 |
| Rhode Island | $98K | $47.14/hr | 50 |
| Arkansas | $98K | $47/hr | 220 |
| Connecticut | $97K | $46.85/hr | 250 |
| West Virginia | $97K | $46.74/hr | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | $46.06/hr | 1,010 |
| Minnesota | $94K | $45.38/hr | 970 |
| Florida | $94K | $45.33/hr | 1,640 |
| Kentucky | $93K | $44.9/hr | 690 |
| Alaska | $89K | $42.73/hr | 650 |
| Oklahoma | $89K | $42.59/hr | 520 |
| Arizona | $85K | $40.85/hr | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | $38.98/hr | 90 |
| Maine | $81K | $38.97/hr | 190 |
| Kansas | $80K | $38.45/hr | 520 |
| South Carolina | $80K | $38.41/hr | 680 |
| Vermont | $78K | $37.62/hr | 140 |
| Virginia | $74K | $35.41/hr | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | $31.77/hr | 420 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Top paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $146K | 70 |
| Fresno, CA | $139K | 130 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $137K | , |
| Boise City, ID | $134K | 70 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $133K | 210 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $133K | 130 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $133K | 300 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $132K | 120 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $132K | 1,090 |
| Reno, NV | $129K | 60 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $126K | 100 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $125K | 90 |
| New Haven, CT | $124K | 50 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $124K | 640 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $122K | 170 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $120K | 90 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $119K | 260 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $119K | 120 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $118K | 50 |
| Decatur, AL | $116K | 30 |
| Knoxville, TN | $116K | 90 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $116K | 60 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $114K | 90 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $111K | 230 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $111K | 220 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $110K | 230 |
| Columbus, OH | $110K | 130 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $110K | 220 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $109K | 100 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $109K | 50 |