Skilled Trades
Power Plant Operators
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
Median salary (BLS)
$102,040
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$62k – $132k
Job outlook
No separate BLS projection for this specific role
AI exposure
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 3 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.
Plan a path to Power Plant Operators
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Power Plant Operators
Entry / Junior
$61,790
~2 yrs to advance
Power Plant Operators
Established
$102,040
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Power Plant Operators
Senior
$116,990
Key skills
A typical day
- •Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
- •Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
- •Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
- •Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
- •Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.