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Utility operator salary
Average utility operator salary
$38,693
Average Utility Operator Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for utility operators stands at $38,693 per year or approximately $19 per hour. This salary can fluctuate based on various factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the type of utility service provided.
Factors Influencing Salary
Utility operators in states like California and Texas tend to earn higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for services. Additionally, those with advanced certifications or extensive experience can command higher salaries, reflecting their expertise and skills in managing complex systems.
Job Opportunities
Utility operators have diverse job opportunities, ranging from water treatment facilities to electricity generation plants. Each sector offers unique challenges and rewards, making it essential for aspiring operators to understand where their skills can be best applied.
Conclusion
Staying informed about salary trends and job opportunities can significantly impact your career trajectory as a utility operator. For more detailed insights, explore our salary estimates by state and experience level.
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Where can a Utility Operator earn more?
Utility operator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level utility operator | $35,300 | $16.96 |
| Mid-level utility operator | $47,800 | $22.99 |
| Senior-level utility operator | $51,100 | $24.57 |
Utility operator salary estimates from across the web
Average utility operator salary by state
The average utility operator salary in Idaho, Washington, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average utility operator salary states are Georgia, North Carolina, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for utility operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $52,829 | $25.40 |
| 2 | Alaska | $51,137 | $24.59 |
| 3 | Maine | $56,149 | $26.99 |
| 4 | Idaho | $61,878 | $29.75 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $44,464 | $21.38 |
| 6 | Iowa | $44,575 | $21.43 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $44,301 | $21.30 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $50,659 | $24.36 |
| 9 | Nebraska | $44,404 | $21.35 |
| 10 | Washington | $60,018 | $28.85 |
| 11 | Illinois | $45,502 | $21.88 |
| 12 | California | $54,596 | $26.25 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $43,849 | $21.08 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $44,017 | $21.16 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $45,011 | $21.64 |
| 16 | Nevada | $45,151 | $21.71 |
| 17 | Colorado | $48,535 | $23.33 |
| 18 | Utah | $42,465 | $20.42 |
| 19 | Indiana | $40,387 | $19.42 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $41,472 | $19.94 |
| 21 | Oregon | $45,305 | $21.78 |
| 22 | Arizona | $44,078 | $21.19 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $42,192 | $20.28 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $41,667 | $20.03 |
| 25 | Delaware | $43,608 | $20.97 |
| 26 | New York | $45,831 | $22.03 |
| 27 | Connecticut | $43,736 | $21.03 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $40,066 | $19.26 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $39,947 | $19.21 |
| 30 | West Virginia | $41,219 | $19.82 |
| 31 | Ohio | $36,652 | $17.62 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $41,914 | $20.15 |
| 33 | Michigan | $38,795 | $18.65 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $34,843 | $16.75 |
| 35 | Montana | $39,130 | $18.81 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $33,612 | $16.16 |
| 37 | Kansas | $36,096 | $17.35 |
| 38 | Missouri | $37,022 | $17.80 |
| 39 | Virginia | $40,973 | $19.70 |
| 40 | Georgia | $32,179 | $15.47 |
| 41 | Florida | $36,339 | $17.47 |
| 42 | Alabama | $33,525 | $16.12 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $32,123 | $15.44 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $29,859 | $14.36 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $36,293 | $17.45 |
| 46 | Maryland | $37,074 | $17.82 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $30,251 | $14.54 |
| 48 | Texas | $33,498 | $16.10 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $33,225 | $15.97 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $27,835 | $13.38 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $30,110 | $14.48 |
Highest paying cities for utility operators
The highest-paying cities for utility operators are Portland, ME, Los Angeles, CA, and Fort Collins, CO.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, ME | $56,373 | $27.10 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $54,299 | $26.11 |
| 3 | Fort Collins, CO | $49,120 | $23.62 |
| 4 | Syracuse, NY | $46,734 | $22.47 |
| 5 | Portland, OR | $45,443 | $21.85 |
| 6 | Sioux City, IA | $44,983 | $21.63 |
| 7 | Las Vegas, NV | $44,881 | $21.58 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | $44,492 | $21.39 |
| 9 | Waipahu, HI | $41,718 | $20.06 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $40,223 | $19.34 |
| 11 | Grand Rapids, MI | $39,057 | $18.78 |
| 12 | Kansas City, MO | $37,350 | $17.96 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $37,142 | $17.86 |
| 14 | Tampa, FL | $36,538 | $17.57 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $36,322 | $17.46 |
| 16 | Murfreesboro, TN | $34,783 | $16.72 |
| 17 | Florence, KY | $34,207 | $16.45 |
| 18 | Grand Prairie, TX | $33,429 | $16.07 |
| 19 | Winston-Salem, NC | $32,502 | $15.63 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $32,324 | $15.54 |
Utility operator salary details
A utility operator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $50,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a utility operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| Average | $38,693 | $3,224 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying utility operator jobs
The highest paying types of utility operators are stationary engineer, boiler operator, and water treatment operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stationary Engineer | $69,163 | $5,764 | $33.25 | 5,010 |
| Wastewater Treatment Operator | $45,618 | $3,802 | $21.93 | 32,561 |
| Mechanical Spreader Operator | $42,262 | $3,522 | $20.32 | 60,297 |
| Water Treatment Operator | $48,112 | $4,009 | $23.13 | 32,838 |
| Maintenance Operator | $35,420 | $2,952 | $17.03 | 142,679 |
| Process Operator | $37,996 | $3,166 | $18.27 | 83,478 |
Top companies hiring utility operators now:
Which companies pay utility operators the most?
Utility operator salaries at Dignity Health and MDU Resources are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average utility operator salary at companies like CITGO Petroleum and Harvard University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dignity Health | $48,463 | $23.30 |
| 2 | MDU Resources | $46,662 | $22.43 |
| 3 | CITGO Petroleum | $46,018 | $22.12 |
| 4 | Harvard University | $45,557 | $21.90 |
| 5 | Anheuser-Busch | $45,370 | $21.81 |
| 6 | Dairy Farmers of America | $45,174 | $21.72 |
| 7 | Nestlé | $45,019 | $21.64 |
| 8 | Steel Dynamics | $44,774 | $21.53 |
| 9 | Univision Communications | $44,375 | $21.33 |
| 10 | Basin Electric Power Cooperative | $43,976 | $21.14 |
| 11 | BD | $43,963 | $21.14 |
| 12 | Bunge | $43,881 | $21.10 |
| 13 | Schreiber Foods | $43,636 | $20.98 |
| 14 | Schnitzer Steel | $43,385 | $20.86 |
| 15 | Daimler Trucks North America | $43,373 | $20.85 |
| 16 | University of Houston | $43,230 | $20.78 |
| 17 | University of Nebraska System | $43,181 | $20.76 |
| 18 | University of Nebraska Medical Center | $42,702 | $20.53 |
| 19 | Novo Nordisk | $42,638 | $20.50 |
| 20 | CaroMont Health | $42,607 | $20.48 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Utility Operator salary by industry
The average utility operator salary varies across industries:
- The average utility operator salary in the finance industry is $40,541, the highest of any industry.
- The average utility operator salary in the finance industry is $39,237.
- Utility operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $36,219, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for utility operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $40,541 | $19.49 |
| 2 | Construction | $39,237 | $18.86 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $38,609 | $18.56 |
| 4 | Retail | $36,219 | $17.41 |
High paying utility operator jobs
Utility operator salary trends
The average utility operator salary has risen by $5,762 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average utility operator earned $32,931 annually, but today, they earn $38,693 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for utility operators over the last decade.
Compare utility operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average utility operator salary over time
Compare utility operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Utility operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,700 | $18.60 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $37,600 | $18.10 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $36,900 | $17.73 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $36,400 | $17.49 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | $36,100 | $17.34 | +2.1% |
Recently added utility operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polychem | Utility-Summer | Virginia Beach, VA | 06/30/2025 | $35,479 |
| Ardent Mills | General Utility | Martins Creek, PA | 06/30/2025 | $55,848 |
| Ardent Mills | Sanitation Utility Operator (1ST Shift) | Wichita, KS | 06/30/2025 | $37,566 |
| Ardent Mills | Utility-1St. Shift | Omaha, NE | 06/30/2025 | $53,135 |
| Ardent Mills | Utility Operator/Mill Utility-Rotating Shifts | Alton, IL | 06/30/2025 | $54,345 |
| Brightview Senior Living | Utility | Bel Air, MD | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Brightview Senior Living | Utility | Holmdel, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $33,392 |
| Aerotek | Utility Operators (Start Asap) | Americus, GA | 06/28/2025 | $31,305 |
| Aerotek | Utility Operator | Hebron, KY | 06/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Cargill, Inc. | Utility Operator | Winchester, KY | 06/28/2025 | $37,044 |
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