Power Plant Operators Wages
SOC 51-8013 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Power Plant Operators is $97,010 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $54,080 and the 90th percentile is $123,120, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
31,490
P10
$54,080
P25
$72,860
Median
$97,010
P75
$106,780
P90
$123,120
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Power Plant Operators have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $97,010 | $91,880 | $54,080 | $123,120 | 31,490 | — |
| 2022 | $93,060 | $88,960 | $52,000 | $119,880 | 31,590 | -4.07% |
| 2021 | $80,850 | $83,740 | $48,610 | $110,590 | 28,960 | -13.12% |
| 2020 | $84,650 | $81,890 | $48,090 | $111,470 | 32,960 | +4.7% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Power Plant Operators. The highest median is in Washington at $118,590, 22% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $118,590 | +22.2% | $120,300 | 480 |
| New York | $115,460 | +19% | $108,590 | 1,630 |
| Hawaii | $108,570 | +11.9% | $105,280 | 520 |
| New Jersey | $107,620 | +10.9% | $104,080 | 230 |
| Arizona | $106,150 | +9.4% | $97,000 | 790 |
| Idaho | $104,690 | +7.9% | $100,860 | 440 |
| South Dakota | $104,320 | +7.5% | $95,980 | 30 |
| North Dakota | $103,840 | +7% | $100,670 | 220 |
| Illinois | $103,830 | +7% | $97,320 | 1,270 |
| Alabama | $103,730 | +6.9% | $97,750 | 520 |
| Tennessee | $103,730 | +6.9% | $97,170 | 550 |
| Georgia | $102,420 | +5.6% | $96,380 | 710 |
| Delaware | $102,070 | +5.2% | $109,110 | 60 |
| Nebraska | $100,920 | +4% | $100,860 | 170 |
| Maryland | $100,550 | +3.6% | $98,140 | 190 |
| Oregon | $100,370 | +3.5% | $97,840 | 230 |
| Montana | $100,290 | +3.4% | $89,870 | 170 |
| Texas | $100,050 | +3.1% | $90,270 | 3,170 |
| New Mexico | $99,920 | +3% | $84,110 | 160 |
| Michigan | $98,920 | +2% | $91,270 | 1,550 |
| Utah | $98,380 | +1.4% | $88,090 | 370 |
| Rhode Island | $98,140 | +1.2% | $95,950 | 90 |
| California | $97,970 | +1% | $102,660 | 2,600 |
| Massachusetts | $96,880 | -0.1% | $89,070 | 1,000 |
| Missouri | $96,490 | -0.5% | $84,600 | 1,220 |
| Indiana | $95,680 | -1.4% | $92,890 | 1,160 |
| Mississippi | $95,120 | -1.9% | $90,990 | 430 |
| Wyoming | $94,990 | -2.1% | $95,360 | 220 |
| Colorado | $94,390 | -2.7% | $96,350 | 480 |
| Ohio | $91,600 | -5.6% | $88,820 | 620 |
| West Virginia | $91,240 | -5.9% | $88,660 | 210 |
| Minnesota | $90,540 | -6.7% | $91,920 | 630 |
| Connecticut | $87,690 | -9.6% | $91,850 | 210 |
| Wisconsin | $86,390 | -10.9% | $85,250 | 760 |
| Kansas | $84,960 | -12.4% | $84,570 | 560 |
| Louisiana | $84,710 | -12.7% | $78,220 | 510 |
| Pennsylvania | $84,610 | -12.8% | $87,460 | 1,310 |
| Arkansas | $84,450 | -12.9% | $80,960 | 190 |
| Iowa | $83,670 | -13.8% | $78,650 | 240 |
| North Carolina | $83,220 | -14.2% | $84,590 | 610 |
| Kentucky | $82,810 | -14.6% | $81,480 | 610 |
| Alaska | $82,660 | -14.8% | $81,830 | 700 |
| Vermont | $82,370 | -15.1% | $81,940 | 120 |
| Florida | $81,740 | -15.7% | $82,020 | 1,280 |
| Nevada | $77,890 | -19.7% | $82,240 | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $76,530 | -21.1% | $73,810 | 130 |
| Maine | $75,990 | -21.7% | $79,110 | 190 |
| Oklahoma | $75,920 | -21.7% | $74,940 | 600 |
| South Carolina | $75,520 | -22.2% | $76,780 | 570 |
| Virginia | $73,580 | -24.2% | $77,780 | 480 |