The average salary for a power plant operator in Illinois is around $71,986 per year.
Avg Salary
Power plant operators earn an average yearly salary of $71,986.
Wages typically start from $34,604 and go up to $149,748.
22% above national average Updated in 2018
Power plant operator earnings by seniority
Top-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$71.99 per hour
$149,748 per year
Senior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$50.89 per hour
$105,845 per year
Mid-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$34.61 per hour
$71,986 per year
Junior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$23.54 per hour
$48,957 per year
Starting level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$16.64 per hour
$34,604 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 Illinois. On average, they make less than biofuels production managers but more than industrial designers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biofuels production manager salary | $99K |
| Biomass power plant manager salary | $99K |
| Aviation inspector salary | $84K |
| Elevator mechanic salary | $101K |
| Sheet metal worker salary | $70K |
| Power plant operator salary | $72K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $75K |
| Petroleum pump system operator salary | $84K |
| Glazier salary | $68K |
| Industrial designer salary | $66K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)