Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Burlington-South Burlington, VT is $97,800/year ($47.02/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers.
So what does $98K get you in Burlington-South Burlington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Burlington-South Burlington’s Regional Price Parity (100.9). 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
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What this looks like in Burlington-South Burlington
Power plant operators pay in Burlington-South Burlington tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,140/month, which is 35.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.9) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for power plant operators in metros near Burlington-South Burlington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $132K | , |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $104K | , |
| Syracuse | $97K | , |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $103K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Burlington-South Burlington, VT
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $84K 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
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 Burlington-South Burlington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Burlington-South Burlington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 35.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,140/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Burlington-South Burlington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,941/month. At HUD’s $2,140/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Burlington-South Burlington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Burlington-South Burlington compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Burlington-South Burlington pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Burlington-South Burlington, VT?
The median is $97,800 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,020, and experienced power plant operators can clear $133,500. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Burlington-South Burlington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,098/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,140/month, which eats 35.1% 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 Burlington-South Burlington?
Burlington-South Burlington has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median power plant operators salary is worth about $96,928 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.