Power Plant Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for power plant operators is $102,040, or $49.06 per hour. About 29,320 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $131,620 in Washington to $66,080 in Wisconsin.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 49 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $131,620 | $63.28 | 430 | 0.65 |
| 2 | Nevada | $131,400 | $63.17 | 250 | 0.86 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $131,370 | $63.16 | 300 | 0.37 |
| 4 | Idaho | $124,440 | $59.83 | 310 | 1.90 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $122,160 | $58.73 | 150 | 1.89 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $121,700 | $58.51 | 290 | 2.43 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $115,920 | $55.73 | 490 | 0.80 |
| 8 | Maryland | $111,260 | $53.49 | 330 | 0.64 |
| 9 | Oregon | $109,830 | $52.80 | 250 | 0.66 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $108,300 | $52.07 | 420 | 0.45 |
| 11 | Georgia | $107,580 | $51.72 | 590 | 0.64 |
| 12 | Utah | $107,120 | $51.50 | 420 | 1.27 |
| 13 | Alabama | $107,080 | $51.48 | 790 | 1.99 |
| 14 | Indiana | $107,000 | $51.44 | 1,190 | 1.97 |
| 15 | New York | $106,990 | $51.44 | 1,960 | 1.07 |
| 16 | Montana | $106,040 | $50.98 | 130 | 1.32 |
| 17 | Michigan | $105,820 | $50.88 | 1,220 | 1.47 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $105,510 | $50.73 | 130 | 0.77 |
| 19 | California | $105,210 | $50.58 | 2,610 | 0.76 |
| 20 | Illinois | $104,440 | $50.21 | 1,160 | 1.01 |
| 21 | Ohio | $104,160 | $50.08 | 730 | 0.70 |
| 22 | Delaware | $103,010 | $49.53 | 80 | 0.86 |
| 23 | Colorado | $102,780 | $49.42 | 250 | 0.46 |
| 24 | Texas | $102,510 | $49.28 | 2,100 | 0.79 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $102,400 | $49.23 | 450 | 2.05 |
| 26 | Missouri | $101,900 | $48.99 | — | — |
| 27 | Louisiana | $101,170 | $48.64 | 370 | 1.01 |
| 28 | Iowa | $100,500 | $48.32 | 470 | 1.61 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $100,140 | $48.14 | 880 | 1.29 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $99,200 | $47.69 | 230 | 4.38 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $98,210 | $47.22 | 360 | 1.89 |
| 32 | Rhode Island | $98,050 | $47.14 | 50 | 0.56 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $97,760 | $47.00 | 220 | 0.89 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $97,460 | $46.85 | 250 | 0.78 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $97,210 | $46.74 | 170 | 1.28 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $95,800 | $46.06 | 1,010 | 0.89 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $94,390 | $45.38 | 970 | 1.75 |
| 38 | Florida | $94,290 | $45.33 | 1,640 | 0.88 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $93,400 | $44.90 | 690 | 1.83 |
| 40 | Alaska | $88,870 | $42.73 | 650 | 10.60 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $88,590 | $42.59 | 520 | 1.63 |
| 42 | Arizona | $84,970 | $40.85 | 390 | 0.64 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | $81,070 | $38.98 | 90 | 0.72 |
| 44 | Maine | $81,060 | $38.97 | 190 | 1.59 |
| 45 | Kansas | $79,980 | $38.45 | 520 | 1.92 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $79,900 | $38.41 | 680 | 1.56 |
| 47 | Vermont | $78,240 | $37.62 | 140 | 2.41 |
| 48 | Virginia | $73,640 | $35.41 | 590 | 0.76 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $66,080 | $31.77 | 420 | 0.76 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do power plant operators make?
The median annual wage for power plant operators in the United States is $102,040, or $49.06 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $61,790, and the top 10% earn $131,940.
How many power plant operators are employed in the U.S.?
About 29,320 people work as power plant operators nationwide.
Which state pays power plant operators the most?
Washington pays the most at a median of $131,620, followed by Nevada ($131,400) and New Jersey ($131,370).
Which state pays power plant operators the least?
Wisconsin has the lowest median at $66,080.
Where are power plant operators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Alaska at 10.60×.