Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Madison, WI is $73,300/year ($35.24/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.29), that's roughly $75,342 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,168/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in Madison?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Madison’s Regional Price Parity (97.29). 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 Madison
Pay for power plant operators in Madison runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,168/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 97.29) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Madison can be a reasonable trade-off for power plant operatorss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for power plant operators in metros near Madison, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $75K | $78K |
| Green Bay | $66K | $71K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $101K | $110K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $124K | $119K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Madison, WI
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $124K 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
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 Madison numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Madison?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,168/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Madison?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,554/month. At HUD’s $1,168/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Madison?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $73K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Madison compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Madison pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.29), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Madison, WI?
The median is $73,300 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,240, and experienced power plant operators can clear $123,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in Madison?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,759/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,168/month, which eats 24.5% 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 Madison?
Madison has a Regional Price Parity of 97.29 (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 $75,342 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.