Power Plant Operators
Power Plant Operators earn an average annual salary of $113,247, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Power Plant Operators workforce.
Employment Over Time
2,390 Workforce in 2023
The Power Plant Operators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Power Plant Operators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$113,247 Average Wage
In 2023, Power Plant Operators earned an average of $113,247.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Power Plant Operators.
Salary distribution for Power Plant Operators.
Employment Growth Projections
-2.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
7,744 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -11.8%
6,830 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -22.2%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Power Plant Operators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Power Plant Operators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Power Plant Operators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Power Plant Operators.
Wage Trends by Industry
7.2% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Power Plant Operators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Power Plant Operators.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 1,800 employees, $99,447 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Power Plant Operators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 350 employees, $112,558 avg wage
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 240 employees, $93,579 avg wage
- Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 180 employees, $96,134 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 180 employees, $145,370 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 180 employees, N/A avg wage
- Fresno MSA: 150 employees, $132,381 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 110 employees, $104,208 avg wage
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 110 employees, $105,243 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 100 employees, $110,503 avg wage
- El Centro MSA: 80 employees, $80,601 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Power Plant Operators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Power Plant Operators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Power Plant Operators in 2023 was 2,390 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Power Plant Operators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Power Plant Operators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Power Plant Operators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Power Plant Operators in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Power Plant Operators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Power Plant Operators workers.
Education level distribution for Power Plant Operators.
Skills
Power Plant Operators need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Quality Control Analysis.
Required skills for Power Plant Operators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Power Plant Operators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Power Plant Operators include Mechanical, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Production and Processing, Mathematics.
Knowledge areas required for Power Plant Operators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Power Plant Operators include Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Near Vision.
Required abilities for Power Plant Operators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Power Plant Operators.
Daily Activities
Power Plant Operators spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information.
Most important work activities for Power Plant Operators.
About
Power Plant Operators
The average yearly wage for Power Plant Operators was $113,247 in 2023.
SOC Code
51-8013 - Power Plant Operators
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Power Plant Operators reports an average salary of $113,247, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 2,390 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -2.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.