Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Bakersfield-Delano, CA is $94,760/year ($45.56/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $93,924 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,483/month, or 24.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $95K get you in Bakersfield-Delano?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bakersfield-Delano’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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
What this looks like in Bakersfield-Delano
Power plant operators pay in Bakersfield-Delano tracks closely to the national median, $95K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,483/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for power plant operators in metros near Bakersfield-Delano, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $106K | $93K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $133K | $115K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $98K | $92K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $133K | $125K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Power Plant Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Power Plant Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $132K | +29% | 430 |
| Nevada | $131K | +29% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $131K | +29% | 300 |
| Idaho | $124K | +22% | 310 |
| North Dakota | $122K | +20% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $122K | +19% | 290 |
| Tennessee | $116K | +14% | 490 |
| Maryland | $111K | +9% | 330 |
| Oregon | $110K | +8% | 250 |
| North Carolina | $108K | +6% | 420 |
| Georgia | $108K | +5% | 590 |
| Utah | $107K | +5% | 420 |
| Alabama | $107K | +5% | 790 |
| Indiana | $107K | +5% | 1,190 |
| New York | $107K | +5% | 1,960 |
| Montana | $106K | +4% | 130 |
| Michigan | $106K | +4% | 1,220 |
| New Mexico | $106K | +3% | 130 |
| California | $105K | +3% | 2,610 |
| Illinois | $104K | +2% | 1,160 |
| Ohio | $104K | +2% | 730 |
| Delaware | $103K | +1% | 80 |
| Colorado | $103K | +1% | 250 |
| Texas | $103K | +0% | 2,100 |
| Mississippi | $102K | +0% | 450 |
| Missouri | $102K | -0% | N/A |
| Louisiana | $101K | -1% | 370 |
| Iowa | $101K | -2% | 470 |
| Massachusetts | $100K | -2% | 880 |
| Wyoming | $99K | -3% | 230 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -4% | 360 |
| Rhode Island | $98K | -4% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $98K | -4% | 220 |
| Connecticut | $97K | -4% | 250 |
| West Virginia | $97K | -5% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $96K | -6% | 1,010 |
| Minnesota | $94K | -7% | 970 |
| Florida | $94K | -8% | 1,640 |
| Kentucky | $93K | -8% | 690 |
| Alaska | $89K | -13% | 650 |
| Oklahoma | $89K | -13% | 520 |
| Arizona | $85K | -17% | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $81K | -21% | 90 |
| Maine | $81K | -21% | 190 |
| Kansas | $80K | -22% | 520 |
| South Carolina | $80K | -22% | 680 |
| Vermont | $78K | -23% | 140 |
| Virginia | $74K | -28% | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -35% | 420 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
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 Bakersfield-Delano numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 25.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Bakersfield-Delano?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,668/month. At HUD’s $1,483/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is power plant operator a high-paying job in Bakersfield-Delano?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $95K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Bakersfield-Delano compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Bakersfield-Delano pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $94K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median is $94,760 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $61,140, and experienced power plant operators can clear $130,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in Bakersfield-Delano?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,842/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,483/month, which eats 25.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a power plant operators salary go in Bakersfield-Delano?
Bakersfield-Delano has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median power plant operators salary is worth about $93,924 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.