Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is $132,030/year ($63.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $72K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.35), that's roughly $135,624 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,686/month, or 20.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $132K get you in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia’s Regional Price Parity (97.35). 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia sits well above the national pay line for power plant operators, local pay runs about 29% higher than the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,686/month, 21.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.35) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia offers a genuinely strong financial position for power plant operatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for power plant operators in metros near Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $102K | $116K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $119K | $119K |
| Columbia | $80K | $85K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $80K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $72K. Mid-career wages sit at $132K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $60K 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Yes — at the median salary of $132K, rent takes 21.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,686/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $72K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,339/month. At HUD’s $1,686/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Local pay is 29% above the national median — $132K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia pays $132K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $136K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC?
The median is $132,030 a year, that works out to about $63 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $72,310, and experienced power plant operators can clear $132,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $132K enough to live in Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,921/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,686/month, which eats 21.3% 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 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia has a Regional Price Parity of 97.35 (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 $135,624 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.