Power Plant Operators Salary
The median pay for a power plant operators in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $76,550/year ($36.8/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $87,928 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 20.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $77K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Pay for power plant operators in Waterloo-Cedar Falls runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $102K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,051/month, 21.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Waterloo-Cedar Falls 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $101K | $110K |
| Cedar Rapids | $105K | $118K |
| St. Louis | $102K | $107K |
| 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, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level power plant operators (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $77K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $43K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a power plant operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $77K, rent takes 21.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for power plant operators in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new power plant operators typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,601/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is power plant operator a high-paying job in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $77K here vs. $102K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for power plant operators?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $77K median vs. the U.S. average of $102K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — below the national median.
How much do power plant operators make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $76,550 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,010, and experienced power plant operators can clear $103,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $77K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,858/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 21.6% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $87,928 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.