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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

51-8013 Power Plant Operators

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators. Excludes “Nuclear Power Reactor Operators” (51-8011).


National estimates for Power Plant Operators
Industry profile for Power Plant Operators
Geographic profile for Power Plant Operators

National estimates for Power Plant Operators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Power Plant Operators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
31,590 2.1 % $ 42.77 $ 88,960 0.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Power Plant Operators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 25.00 $ 34.21 $ 44.74 $ 50.35 $ 57.63
Annual Wage (2) $ 52,000 $ 71,160 $ 93,060 $ 104,720 $ 119,880


Industry profile for Power Plant Operators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Power Plant Operators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Power Plant Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Power Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 22,580 5.97 $ 44.28 $ 92,100
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,050 0.08 $ 38.93 $ 80,970
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 680 0.02 $ 27.77 $ 57,770
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 620 0.03 $ 49.23 $ 102,390
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 540 0.03 $ 39.46 $ 82,080

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Power Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 22,580 5.97 $ 44.28 $ 92,100
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills 430 0.50 $ 35.81 $ 74,470
Natural Gas Distribution 530 0.48 $ 62.73 $ 130,480
Waste Treatment and Disposal 320 0.33 $ 31.94 $ 66,440
Water, Sewage and Other Systems 110 0.19 $ 26.45 $ 55,020

Top paying industries for Power Plant Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Natural Gas Distribution 530 0.48 $ 62.73 $ 130,480
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 620 0.03 $ 49.23 $ 102,390
Metal Ore Mining 40 0.09 $ 47.74 $ 99,310
Management of Companies and Enterprises 250 0.01 $ 45.40 $ 94,430
Telecommunications 40 0.01 $ 44.58 $ 92,720


Geographic profile for Power Plant Operators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Power Plant Operators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Power Plant Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of power plant operators by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Power Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 3,860 0.30 1.39 $ 41.54 $ 86,390
California 2,450 0.14 0.65 $ 49.67 $ 103,320
Michigan 1,750 0.41 1.93 $ 44.14 $ 91,810
Florida 1,610 0.18 0.82 $ 36.83 $ 76,600
New York 1,580 0.17 0.81 $ 50.59 $ 105,230


Map of location quotient of power plant operators by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Power Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 780 2.55 11.96 $ 36.37 $ 75,650
Wyoming 240 0.89 4.16 $ 43.36 $ 90,190
Hawaii 500 0.84 3.92 $ 47.27 $ 98,330
North Dakota 290 0.72 3.39 $ 47.04 $ 97,830
Kansas 740 0.54 2.52 $ 39.61 $ 82,390


Map of annual mean wages of power plant operators by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Power Plant Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 370 0.11 0.51 $ 55.96 $ 116,410
Idaho 370 0.46 2.15 $ 51.03 $ 106,150
New York 1,580 0.17 0.81 $ 50.59 $ 105,230
California 2,450 0.14 0.65 $ 49.67 $ 103,320
Maryland 270 0.10 0.47 $ 49.39 $ 102,720



Map of employment of power plant operators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Power Plant Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,150 0.12 0.58 $ 54.53 $ 113,420
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 680 0.15 0.72 $ 49.77 $ 103,530
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 640 0.35 1.62 $ 45.75 $ 95,160
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 610 0.16 0.75 (8) (8)
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 490 0.19 0.88 $ 36.95 $ 76,860
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 450 0.07 0.34 $ 49.13 $ 102,190
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 360 0.13 0.61 $ 46.43 $ 96,570
Urban Honolulu, HI 340 0.81 3.80 $ 47.23 $ 98,240
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 330 0.12 0.57 $ 45.24 $ 94,100
St. Louis, MO-IL 290 0.22 1.05 (8) (8)


Map of location quotient of power plant operators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Power Plant Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Monroe, MI 200 5.26 24.63 $ 46.47 $ 96,660
Fairbanks, AK 80 2.20 10.30 $ 39.02 $ 81,160
Grand Island, NE 60 1.48 6.91 $ 55.09 $ 114,580
Terre Haute, IN 90 1.37 6.43 $ 38.95 $ 81,010
Evansville, IN-KY 200 1.33 6.23 $ 37.50 $ 78,010
Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula, MS 150 0.98 4.57 $ 42.03 $ 87,420
Redding, CA 60 0.95 4.45 (8) (8)
Anchorage, AK 140 0.83 3.87 $ 46.31 $ 96,330
Urban Honolulu, HI 340 0.81 3.80 $ 47.23 $ 98,240
Decatur, AL 50 0.80 3.74 $ 39.16 $ 81,450


Map of annual mean wages of power plant operators by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Power Plant Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 190 0.19 0.88 $ 58.33 $ 121,330
Fresno, CA 140 0.35 1.64 $ 58.00 $ 120,640
Boise City, ID 170 0.47 2.18 $ 55.88 $ 116,240
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 120 0.06 0.29 $ 55.44 $ 115,320
Grand Island, NE 60 1.48 6.91 $ 55.09 $ 114,580
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,150 0.12 0.58 $ 54.53 $ 113,420
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 290 0.12 0.56 $ 54.06 $ 112,430
Merced, CA 40 0.51 2.36 $ 52.54 $ 109,270
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 50 0.72 3.37 $ 52.46 $ 109,110
Bakersfield, CA 90 0.29 1.36 $ 50.69 $ 105,440

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Power Plant Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 570 5.59 26.15 $ 33.60 $ 69,890
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 410 2.23 10.44 $ 43.41 $ 90,300
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 380 0.98 4.61 $ 34.78 $ 72,350
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 210 0.77 3.60 $ 39.91 $ 83,020
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 200 1.30 6.07 $ 41.83 $ 87,000

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Power Plant Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 570 5.59 26.15 $ 33.60 $ 69,890
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 410 2.23 10.44 $ 43.41 $ 90,300
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 160 1.94 9.10 $ 45.66 $ 94,960
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 110 1.84 8.61 $ 48.14 $ 100,130
Eastern Utah nonmetropolitan area 150 1.80 8.45 $ 42.29 $ 87,950

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Power Plant Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 60 0.78 3.67 $ 48.82 $ 101,540
West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area 150 1.37 6.40 $ 48.71 $ 101,310
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 110 1.84 8.61 $ 48.14 $ 100,130
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 80 0.65 3.04 $ 48.09 $ 100,020
North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 60 0.55 2.58 $ 46.07 $ 95,820


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023