Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL is $62,080/year ($29.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 114.16), so that salary is closer to $54,380 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,436/month, about 56.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $62K get you in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach’s Regional Price Parity (114.16). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach
Pay for power plant operators in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach runs about 39% below the U.S. median of $102K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,436/month, which is 56.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 14% above the national average (BEA RPP 114.16), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for power plant operatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for power plant operators in metros near Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $85K | $84K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $106K | $105K |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $107K | $110K |
| Jacksonville | $120K | $120K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $72K 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 56.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,436/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,870/month. At HUD’s $2,436/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Local pay runs 39% below the national median — $62K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 114.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL?
The median is $62,080 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,840, and experienced power plant operators can clear $120,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,327/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,436/month, which eats 56.3% 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 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach?
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach has a Regional Price Parity of 114.16 (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 $54,380 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.