The average salary for a power plant operator in California is around $95,340 per year.
Avg Salary
Power plant operators earn an average yearly salary of $95,340.
Wages typically start from $60,490 and go up to $150,268.
36% above national average Updated in 2018
Power plant operator earnings by seniority
Top-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$72.24 per hour
$150,268 per year
Senior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$58.24 per hour
$121,135 per year
Mid-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$45.84 per hour
$95,340 per year
Junior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$36.08 per hour
$75,038 per year
Starting level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$29.08 per hour
$60,490 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Power plant operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $95,340 |
| Washington | $93,330 |
| Hawaii | $92,620 |
| North Dakota | $92,350 |
| Maryland | $91,770 |
| New York | $90,690 |
| New Jersey | $88,110 |
| Nevada | $87,460 |
| North Carolina | $85,980 |
| Montana | $85,340 |
| Minnesota | $84,830 |
| Oregon | $82,500 |
| Colorado | $82,030 |
| New Mexico | $81,520 |
| Wyoming | $81,160 |
| Tennessee | $80,970 |
| Massachusetts | $80,590 |
| Alabama | $79,676 |
| Michigan | $78,850 |
| Utah | $78,070 |
| Iowa | $77,610 |
| Kentucky | $76,960 |
| Texas | $76,520 |
| Missouri | $76,100 |
| Mississippi | $75,840 |
| Connecticut | $74,880 |
| Nebraska | $74,290 |
| Florida | $74,250 |
| South Carolina | $73,970 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,720 |
| Ohio | $73,260 |
| Louisiana | $72,390 |
| Illinois | $71,986 |
| Arkansas | $71,710 |
| South Dakota | $71,590 |
| Georgia | $71,480 |
| Oklahoma | $69,900 |
| West Virginia | $68,800 |
| Indiana | $68,330 |
| Maine | $68,110 |
| New Hampshire | $66,730 |
| Wisconsin | $64,030 |
| Idaho | $62,720 |
| Rhode Island | $61,010 |
| Vermont | $60,560 |
| Virginia | $56,200 |
| Alaska | $55,620 |
| Kansas | $53,020 |
| Puerto Rico | $36,800 |
How do power plant operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Power plant operators earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than biomass power plant managers but more than petroleum pump system operators.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomass power plant manager salary | $111K |
| Industrial production manager salary | $111K |
| Power plant operator salary | $95K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $87K |
| Elevator mechanic salary | $81K |
| Logistician salary | $81K |
| Petroleum pump system operator salary | $86K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)