Power plant operator demographics and statistics in the US
Power plant operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates power plant operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our power plant operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about power plant operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 5,417 power plant operators currently employed in the United States.
- 5.1% of all power plant operators are women, while 94.9% are men.
- The average power plant operator age is 45 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of power plant operators is White (77.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Black or African American (5.6%) and Unknown (5.5%).
- Power plant operators are most in-demand in Binghamton, NY.
- The utilities industry is the highest-paying for power plant operators.
- 5% of all power plant operators are LGBT.
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Power plant operator demographics by:
Power plant operator gender statistics
5.1% of power plant operators are women and 94.9% of power plant operators are men.
- Male, 94.9%
- Female, 5.1%
Power plant operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 94.9% |
| Female | 5.1% |
Power plant operator gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,783
Female income
$46,271
Power plant operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in power plant operator positions over time. Currently, 5.1% of power plant operators are female.
Power plant operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 93.22% | 6.78% |
| 2011 | 90.55% | 9.45% |
| 2012 | 96.39% | 3.61% |
| 2013 | 94.76% | 5.24% |
| 2014 | 93.95% | 6.05% |
| 2015 | 91.45% | 8.55% |
| 2016 | 93.76% | 6.24% |
| 2017 | 91.13% | 8.87% |
| 2018 | 92.62% | 7.38% |
| 2019 | 92.19% | 7.81% |
| 2020 | 94.66% | 5.34% |
| 2021 | 94.91% | 5.09% |
Power plant operator related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Power plant operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among power plant operators is White, which makes up 77.3% of all power plant operators. Comparatively, 7.7% of power plant operators are Hispanic or Latino and 5.6% of power plant operators are Black or African American.
- White, 77.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 7.7%
- Black or African American, 5.6%
- Unknown, 5.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%
- Asian, 1.5%
Power plant operator race
| Power plant operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 77.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% |
| Black or African American | 5.6% |
| Unknown | 5.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.4% |
| Asian | 1.5% |
Power plant operator race and ethnicity over time
See how power plant operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Power plant operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81.50% | 7.69% | 0.67% | 6.45% |
| 2011 | 80.28% | 9.05% | 1.34% | 5.30% |
| 2012 | 81.76% | 6.37% | 1.90% | 5.45% |
| 2013 | 82.33% | 7.24% | 1.22% | 4.71% |
| 2014 | 84.93% | 5.40% | 1.46% | 4.02% |
| 2015 | 83.45% | 5.35% | 2.31% | 5.08% |
| 2016 | 81.40% | 5.13% | 2.20% | 5.49% |
| 2017 | 77.34% | 8.62% | 2.43% | 8.21% |
| 2018 | 82.09% | 7.27% | 1.97% | 4.89% |
| 2019 | 78.94% | 6.71% | 2.47% | 7.86% |
| 2020 | 77.51% | 6.74% | 2.52% | 8.35% |
| 2021 | 77.28% | 5.58% | 1.46% | 7.75% |
Power plant operator wage gap by race
According to our data, unknown power plant operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american power plant operators have the lowest average salary at $47,922.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $49,566 |
| White | $48,935 |
| Black or African American | $47,922 |
| Asian | $48,969 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $48,540 |
Average power plant operator age
See how the average age of power plant operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Power plant operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 49 | |
| White | 46 | 52 |
| Black or African American | 56 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 40 |
Power plant operator age breakdown
The average age of power plant operators is 40+ years years old, representing 67% of the power plant operator population.
Power plant operator age breakdown
| Power Plant Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 67% |
| 30-40 years | 29% |
| 20-30 years | 4% |
Power plant operator educational attainment
The most common degree for power plant operators is bachelor's degree, with 36% of power plant operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 28% and associate degree degree at 19%.
- Bachelor's, 36%
- Associate, 28%
- High School Diploma, 19%
- Diploma, 9%
- Other Degrees, 8%
Power plant operators by degree level
| Power plant operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 36% |
| Associate | 28% |
| High School Diploma | 19% |
| Diploma | 9% |
| Other Degrees | 8% |
Power plant operator jobs you might like
Power plant operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, power plant operators with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $52,779 annually. With a Associate degree, power plant operators earn a median annual income of $49,483 compared to $47,257 for power plant operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $47,257 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,779 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,483 |
Power plant operator employment statistics
Most power plant operators work for a private in the utilities industry.
Company size where power plant operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where power plant operators work.
Power plant operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 19% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Power plant operator jobs by company type
Employees with the power plant operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most power plant operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Power plant operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 11% |
| Public | 33% |
| Private | 46% |
| Government | 11% |
Power plant operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for power plant operators are utilities, manufacturing and energy.
Power plant operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Utilities | 16% |
| Fortune 500 | 13% |
| Manufacturing | 12% |
| Energy | 11% |
| Health Care | 9% |
| Government | 8% |
| Education | 8% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Construction | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Media | 2% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Transportation | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Power plant operator turnover and employment statistics
Power plant operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for power plant operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Power plant operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Power plant operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.20% |
| 2011 | 2.79% |
| 2012 | 3.46% |
| 2013 | 1.72% |
| 2014 | 2.26% |
| 2015 | 2.14% |
| 2016 | 1.60% |
| 2017 | 1.75% |
| 2018 | 1.38% |
| 2019 | 1.57% |
| 2020 | 1.43% |
| 2021 | 1.84% |
Average power plant operator tenure
The average power plant operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,700 power plant operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Power plant operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 10% |
| 1-2 years | 26% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 17% |
| 8-10 years | 8% |
| 11+ years | 22% |
Power plant operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of power plant operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Low Pressure Boiler Operator | 4.19% | 27,035 |
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor | 4.62% | 11,675 |
| Power Plant Operator | 4.80% | - |
| Gas Producer | 10.89% | 10,488 |
Similar power plant operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Low Pressure Boiler Operator | 4.19% | 27,035 |
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Supervisor | 4.62% | 11,675 |
| Gas Producer | 10.89% | 10,488 |
Foreign languages spoken by power plant operators
The most common foreign language among power plant operators is Spanish at 60.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Carrier at 13.0% and German is the third-most popular at 4.3%.
- Spanish, 60.9%
- Carrier, 13.0%
- German, 4.3%
- Igbo, 4.3%
- Samoan, 4.3%
- Other, 13.2%
Power plant operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 60.9% |
| Carrier | 13.0% |
| German | 4.3% |
| Igbo | 4.3% |
| Samoan | 4.3% |
| Other | 13.2% |
