Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC is $66,500/year ($31.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $67,899 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 39.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $67K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Pay for power plant operators in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk runs about 35% below the U.S. median of $102K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $64K | $65K |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria | $92K | $85K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $111K | $106K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $104K | $112K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $27K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,965/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Local pay runs 35% below the national median — $67K here vs. $102K nationally.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -35%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $66,500 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,410, and experienced power plant operators can clear $76,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,322/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 39.6% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $67,899 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.