The average salary for a power plant operator in South Dakota is around $71,590 per year.
Avg Salary
Power plant operators earn an average yearly salary of $71,590.
Wages typically start from $57,400 and go up to $88,750.
17% above national average Updated in 2016
Power plant operator earnings by seniority
Top-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$42.67 per hour
$88,750 per year
Senior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$37.44 per hour
$77,880 per year
Mid-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$34.42 per hour
$71,590 per year
Junior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$31.39 per hour
$65,300 per year
Starting level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$27.60 per hour
$57,400 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 South Dakota. On average, they make less than biomass power plant managers but more than non-destructive testing specialists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomass power plant manager salary | $93K |
| Biofuels production manager salary | $93K |
| Power plant operator salary | $72K |
| Logistician salary | $64K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $62K |
| Wind turbine services technician salary | $60K |
| Non-Destructive testing specialist salary | $57K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)