There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a power system operator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $33.68 an hour? That's $70,058 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -5% and produce -6,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

What Does a Power System Operator Do

There are certain skills that many power system operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, math skills and detail oriented.

How To Become a Power System Operator

If you're interested in becoming a power system operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 48.0% of power system operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 12.0% of power system operators have master's degrees. Even though most power system operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Average Salary for a Power System Operator

Power System Operators in America make an average salary of $70,058 per year or $34 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $154,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $31,000 per year.
Average Power System Operator Salary
$70,058 Yearly
$33.68 hourly

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Roles and Types of Power System Operator

There are several types of power system operator, including:

Plant Operator

Role:

Plant operators are specialists that oversee and supervise operations in an industrial setting. As a plant operator, you are primarily responsible for controlling equipment and machinery. You may also need to respond to inquiries and issues and also perform basic troubleshooting. In addition, you are to monitor the quality of progress among the departments or units.

As a plant operator, you are to conduct regular inspections and maintenance to ensure a safe workspace for everybody. While doing this, you must implement the plant's safety policies and regulations. Furthermore, you must provide training to all vendors and contractors and ensure participation in safety meetings.

To be a plant operator, you could study environmental control technologies, general studies, or business. You could work with either a high school diploma or a bachelor's degree. Plant operators make an average salary of $38,410 per year.

  • Average Salary: $42,697
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Utility Operator

Role:

Utility operators are skilled in the installation and repair of utilities. They operate and control different machines and are in charge of maintaining the equipment, spotting malfunctions, and keeping the work area clean and organized. They also conduct weekly site safety audits and ensure compliance with safety regulations.

Utility operators earn a median sum of $18 per hour, which amounts to $38,000 per year. Utility operators work with all sorts of utility systems, such as water piping, wastewater plants, electrical cabling, and many more, to create finished products. Then, they test the products and package them in preparation for shipment, and all these things are done within a sterilized environment to prevent contamination. They also respond to emergencies and perform casualty operations when needed.

Utility operators typically have a high school diploma or its equivalent. It will be best to have a higher academic degree, such as a bachelor's degree in business, for candidates hoping to advance in the field. They are also expected to be dexterous and have a significant level of hands-on training. Some employers also prefer candidates with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

  • Average Salary: $38,693
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Water Technician

Role:

The importance of water can never be overestimated - it is the life blood of this planet and its inhabitants. However, not all water is clean enough for us to drink and use. This is where the water technician comes in. As a water technician, your purpose will be to oversee and maintain all equipment involved in a water treatment plant, to ensure the quality of water remains up to standards.

Some of the duties and responsibilities that you, as a water technician will be fulfilling include calibrating the machinery and collecting water samples to ensure the quality of water is up to standards and regulations. In addition, you will also adjust the level of different minerals and chemicals in the water and create reports based on your findings. Essential skills needed to succeed in this position include attention to detail, knowledge of federal and state water quality regulations, and communication.

To qualify for this position, you will need to attend either a year of vocational school training or two years of an associate's degree program. However, a high school diploma or a GED may suffice along with proven work experience. The average hourly pay for this position is $17.41, which amounts to more than $36,000 annually.

  • Average Salary: $38,723
  • Degree: High School Diploma

States With The Most Power System Operator Jobs

Number Of Power System Operator Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Massachusetts1,439$86,115
2California1,096$94,023
3New Jersey972$83,884
4Texas661$49,681
5Virginia607$57,737
6Maryland441$76,004
7Florida404$56,222
8Pennsylvania333$71,760
9North Carolina295$56,107
10Washington267$46,080
11Ohio251$57,235
12New York244$70,946
13Colorado243$37,369
14Arizona237$63,691
15Illinois222$62,014
16Michigan216$59,276
17Alabama211$49,317
18Georgia179$47,012
19Rhode Island173$73,252
20Tennessee170$48,013
21Indiana167$58,221
22Minnesota149$50,016
23South Carolina131$50,115
24Missouri130$42,786
25Wisconsin129$58,410
26Hawaii125$44,503
27Iowa120$45,998
28Oregon118$38,533
29Alaska110$69,720
30Utah105$31,025
31Mississippi100$41,479
32Oklahoma87$35,081
33Kansas84$40,431
34Louisiana79$45,581
35New Mexico77$42,604
36Kentucky73$47,915
37Connecticut67$75,538
38Arkansas65$36,483
39New Hampshire61$64,813
40Nevada56$63,413
41Nebraska48$44,153
42Delaware47$77,858
43Montana36$30,972
44North Dakota35$53,248
45Idaho34$28,648
46West Virginia33$67,040
47Wyoming30$32,748
48Vermont29$78,103
49South Dakota25$38,415
50Maine21$82,276

Power System Operator Education

Power System Operator Majors

4.2 %

Power System Operator Degrees

Bachelors

48.0 %

Associate

20.0 %

Masters

12.0 %

Top Colleges for Power System Operators

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,880

Enrollment

6,590

7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Bayamon, PR • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,940

Enrollment

4,169

8. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

9. Arizona State University

Tempe, AZ • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,822

Enrollment

42,529

10. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,238

Enrollment

2,120

Choose From 10+ Customizable Power System Operator Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Power System Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Power System Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

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Power System Operator diversity

Power System Operator Gender Distribution

Male
Male
86%
Female
Female
14%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among power system operators, 13.9% of them are women, while 86.1% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among power system operators is White, which makes up 77.3% of all power system operators.

  • The most common foreign language among power system operators is Spanish at 100.0%.

Online Courses For Power System Operator That You May Like

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1. Electrical Power Distribution

coursera

This is an application-oriented course explaining the various aspects of power distribution, indoor and outdoor equipment up to 33kV. The course adopts a cross-disciplinary approach to ensure that the learners understand site execution, testing and commissioning. Throughout the course, safety aspects have been emphasized in every area of work. This course blends with conceptual knowledge covering the latest technological trends like SCADA & automation. This course helps learners know the...

2. Electric Power Systems

coursera

This course familiarizes you with standards and policies of the electric utility industry, and provides you with basic vocabulary used in the business. It introduces the electric power system, from generation of the electricity all the way to the wall plug. You will learn about the segments of the system, and common components like power cables and transformers. This course is for individuals considering a career in the energy field (who have a high school diploma, at minimum, and basic...

3. Electrical Control & Protection Systems

udemy
4.4
(1,512)

This course introduces electrical control & protection systems which are a critical part of any electrical substation...

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Top Power System Operator Employers

Most Common Employers For Power System Operator

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1SMUD$107,484$51.673
2NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration$102,031$49.051
3UGI$100,660$48.391
4Monroe County Community College$92,927$44.681
5ABB$92,035$44.251
6Jea$90,529$43.522
7IBM$89,221$42.892
8GSI Technology$88,949$42.761
9Eversource Energy$88,763$42.672
10Ampere$76,647$36.851