Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN is $109,090/year ($52.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $134K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.7), that's roughly $113,992 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,473/month, or 20.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $109K get you in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.7). 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Power plant operators pay in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood tracks closely to the national median, $109K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,473/month, 21.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.7) 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Terre Haute | $103K | $117K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $124K | $119K |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $108K | $108K |
| Cincinnati | $110K | $115K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $134K or more, a $65K 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Yes — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 21.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,473/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,175/month. At HUD’s $1,473/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $109K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $114K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN?
The median is $109,090 a year, that works out to about $52 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,580, and experienced power plant operators can clear $134,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,817/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,473/month, which eats 21.6% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (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 $113,992 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.