Power Plant Operators Salary in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
The median pay for a power plant operators in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX is $82,670/year ($39.74/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $123K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.07), that's roughly $84,297 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,852/month — about 33.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $83K get you in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos’s Regional Price Parity (98.07). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About power plant operators
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $123K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Power Plant Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $124K | +24% | 570 |
| New York | $122K | +22% | 2,350 |
| Hawaii | $115K | +16% | 430 |
| Oregon | $115K | +15% | 200 |
| New Jersey | $110K | +10% | 210 |
| North Dakota | $109K | +10% | 170 |
| Tennessee | $107K | +8% | 550 |
| Arizona | $107K | +8% | 890 |
| Nevada | $107K | +7% | 390 |
| Maryland | $106K | +7% | 310 |
| California | $106K | +6% | 2,390 |
| South Dakota | $105K | +6% | 40 |
| Wyoming | $105K | +6% | 210 |
| Michigan | $104K | +4% | 1,200 |
| Utah | $104K | +4% | 340 |
| Alabama | $104K | +4% | 730 |
| Georgia | $104K | +4% | 420 |
| Texas | $103K | +3% | 1,880 |
| Illinois | $103K | +3% | 1,630 |
| Idaho | $103K | +3% | 280 |
| Indiana | $103K | +3% | 900 |
| Montana | $103K | +3% | 130 |
| Massachusetts | $102K | +2% | 1,060 |
| Delaware | $102K | +2% | 70 |
| Rhode Island | $101K | +1% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $99K | -0% | 500 |
| Iowa | $99K | -1% | 380 |
| Nebraska | $99K | -1% | 240 |
| New Mexico | $99K | -1% | 130 |
| Vermont | $98K | -1% | 130 |
| Ohio | $98K | -2% | 630 |
| West Virginia | $96K | -3% | 300 |
| Mississippi | $95K | -5% | 450 |
| Louisiana | $95K | -5% | 570 |
| Connecticut | $92K | -7% | 220 |
| Kansas | $90K | -10% | 500 |
| Arkansas | $89K | -11% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $88K | -12% | 710 |
| Kentucky | $87K | -12% | 550 |
| Missouri | $86K | -13% | 760 |
| Pennsylvania | $85K | -14% | 1,380 |
| Alaska | $85K | -15% | 750 |
| Florida | $84K | -16% | 1,330 |
| Wisconsin | $81K | -18% | 660 |
| Oklahoma | $81K | -19% | 600 |
| South Carolina | $79K | -21% | 850 |
| Virginia | $78K | -21% | 730 |
| Maine | $78K | -22% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $72K | -27% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track power plant operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
How much do power plant operators make in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX?
The median is $82,670 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,500, and experienced power plant operators can clear $122,550. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,545/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,852/month, which eats 33.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a power plant operators salary go in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos?
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos has a Regional Price Parity of 98.07 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median power plant operators salary is worth about $84,297 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do power plant operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.