Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO is $102,780/year ($49.42/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $138K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $97,164 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,169/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $103K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Power plant operators pay in Denver-Aurora-Centennial tracks closely to the national median, $103K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $2,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $68K | $65K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $126K | $125K |
| Tulsa | $101K | $114K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $103K. Top earners bring in $138K or more, a $58K 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 annually. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $103K, rent takes 34.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,110/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $103K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $103K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $102,780 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,270, and experienced power plant operators can clear $137,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $103K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,348/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 34.2% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 $97,164 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.