Power Plant Operators

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

Salary by State

State Name	Employment	Annual Salary	Hourly Salary
Alabama	760	$82,080	$39.46
Alaska	550	$76,390	$36.72
Arizona	570	$67,870	$32.63
Arkansas	200	$76,060	$36.57
California	2,540	$98,860	$47.53
Colorado	540	$90,470	$43.49
Connecticut	240	$86,440	$41.56
Florida	1,230	$76,260	$36.66
Georgia	830	$87,690	$42.16
Hawaii	550	$91,680	$44.08
Idaho	260	$91,100	$43.80
Illinois	680	$81,380	$39.12
Indiana	1,320	$84,010	$40.39
Iowa	330	$76,180	$36.63
Kansas	520	$69,570	$33.45
Kentucky	560	$80,490	$38.70
Louisiana	300	$75,080	$36.10
Maine	180	$70,960	$34.12
Maryland	690	$86,310	$41.50
Massachusetts	390	$75,910	$36.50
Michigan	1,410	$87,630	$42.13
Minnesota	700	$88,120	$42.37
Mississippi	350	$85,090	$40.91
Missouri	700	$76,590	$36.82
Montana	140	$78,990	$37.98
Nebraska	140	$88,700	$42.65
Nevada	250	$84,790	$40.77
New Hampshire	150	$68,190	$32.78
New Jersey	450	$94,190	$45.29
New Mexico	200	$92,680	$44.56
New York	1,870	$93,430	$44.92
North Carolina	660	$69,790	$33.55
North Dakota	440	$91,240	$43.87
Ohio	780	$82,990	$39.90
Oklahoma	320	$77,220	$37.13
Oregon	210	$91,180	$43.84
Pennsylvania	1,320	$79,820	$38.37
Rhode Island	80	$88,140	$42.38
South Carolina	840	$68,580	$32.97
South Dakota	60	$85,660	$41.18
Tennessee	670	$87,670	$42.15
Texas	1,190	$77,390	$37.21
Utah	410	$84,330	$40.54
Vermont	130	$67,040	$32.23
Virginia	340	$68,490	$32.93
Washington	480	$115,390	$55.48
West Virginia	310	$76,020	$36.55
Wisconsin	740	$66,470	$31.96
Wyoming	250	$84,800	$40.77

Education

The programs listed below are typically the education paths that can land you this kind of job.

A program that prepares individuals to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills in support of engineers engaged in the operation and maintenance of electricity generating power plants. Includes instruction in basic electricity, electrical power, generator operations, industrial controls, power plant instrumentation, power plant theory, pollution control, reactor theory, thermodynamics, turbines, and water chemistry.