Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Knoxville, TN is $115,920/year ($55.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $105K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $125,224 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,471/month, or 19% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $116K get you in Knoxville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Knoxville’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 Knoxville
Knoxville sits well above the national pay line for power plant operators, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,471/month, 19.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Knoxville 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 Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $119K | $129K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $105K | $109K |
| Chattanooga | $116K | $127K |
| St. Louis | $102K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Knoxville, TN
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $105K. Mid-career wages sit at $116K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $14K 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 Knoxville numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
Yes — at the median salary of $116K, rent takes 19.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $105K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $6,322/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is power plant operator a high-paying job in Knoxville?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $116K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Knoxville pays $116K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $125K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $115,920 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $105,370, and experienced power plant operators can clear $119,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $116K enough to live in Knoxville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,495/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 19.6% 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 Knoxville?
Knoxville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $125,224 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.