Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Gainesville, FL is $78,890/year ($37.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.73), that's roughly $81,557 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,493/month, or 27.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Gainesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Gainesville’s Regional Price Parity (96.73). 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 Gainesville
Pay for power plant operators in Gainesville runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $102K. Rent runs $1,493/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.73) 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 Gainesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $62K | $54K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $85K | $84K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $106K | $105K |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $107K | $110K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Gainesville, FL
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $28K 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 Gainesville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Gainesville?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 28% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,493/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Gainesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,752/month. At HUD’s $1,493/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 Gainesville?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $79K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Gainesville compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Gainesville pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.73), the purchasing-power equivalent is $82K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Gainesville, FL?
The median is $78,890 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,540, and experienced power plant operators can clear $90,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Gainesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,324/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,493/month, which eats 28% 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 Gainesville?
Gainesville has a Regional Price Parity of 96.73 (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 $81,557 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.