Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $101,350/year ($48.73/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $98,830 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,810/month, or 27.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $101K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Power plant operators pay in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington tracks closely to the national median, $101K locally vs. $102K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,810/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for power plant operators in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $94K | $99K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $132K | $117K |
| Syracuse | $97K | $102K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $111K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $101K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $51K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Yes — at the median salary of $101K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,639/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $101K locally vs. $102K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $101K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $99K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $101,350 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $77,320, and experienced power plant operators can clear $128,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $101K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,381/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 28.4% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $98,830 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.