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Job outlook for power plant operators in the United States
Power plant operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected power plant operator job growth rate is -15% from 2018-2028.
About -6,500 new jobs for power plant operators are projected over the next decade.
Power plant operator salaries have increased 13% for power plant operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 5,417 power plant operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 40,719 active power plant operator job openings in the US.
The average power plant operator salary is $49,204.
Are power plant operator jobs in demand?
No, power plant operator jobs are not in demand. Power plant operator demand is projected to decline -15% from 2018 to 2028.
Power plant operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of power plant operator jobs and the average power plant operator salary over time.
Power plant operator jobs over time
Power plant operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,417 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6,166 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 6,289 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,345 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,392 | 0.00% |
Average power plant operator salary over time
Power plant operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $49,204 | $23.66 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $47,658 | $22.91 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $46,275 | $22.25 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $44,862 | $21.57 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $43,415 | $20.87 | +3.8% |
Power plant operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of power plant operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where power plant operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for power plant operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 122 | 18% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,185 | 17% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 920 | 15% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 151 | 14% |
| 5 | Alaska | 739,795 | 101 | 14% |
| 6 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 824 | 9% |
| 7 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 101 | 7% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 58 | 7% |
| 9 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 41 | 7% |
| 10 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 200 | 6% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 39 | 6% |
| 12 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 53 | 5% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 46 | 5% |
| 14 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 257 | 4% |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 206 | 4% |
| 16 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 111 | 4% |
| 17 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 107 | 4% |
| 18 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 79 | 4% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 76 | 4% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 32 | 4% |
Most common cities for power plant operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Grove Village | 2 | 6% | $48,523 |
| 2 | Richmond | 1 | 3% | $45,714 |
| 3 | Anderson | 1 | 2% | $45,882 |
| 4 | Binghamton | 1 | 2% | $52,408 |
| 5 | Hoffman Estates | 1 | 2% | $48,565 |
| 6 | New Brunswick | 1 | 2% | $48,485 |
| 7 | San Luis Obispo | 1 | 2% | $56,690 |
| 8 | Alexandria | 1 | 1% | $48,298 |
| 9 | Elgin | 1 | 1% | $48,520 |
| 10 | Springfield | 1 | 1% | $53,118 |
| 11 | Denver | 1 | 0% | $52,664 |
| 12 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $52,399 |
| 13 | Houston | 1 | 0% | $51,000 |
| 14 | Wichita | 1 | 0% | $44,479 |