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Utility plant operative salary
Average utility plant operative salary
$42,253
Understanding Utility Plant Operative Salaries
Utility plant operatives are essential in maintaining the functionality of energy facilities. As of October 2025, the average salary for this role is $42,253 annually, translating to about $20 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly depending on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific job responsibilities.
Salary Variations by State
Different states offer varying salaries for utility plant operatives. For example, states with a high demand for energy professionals might provide higher compensation. Additionally, cities known for their energy sectors tend to offer competitive salaries.
Experience Matters
Experience levels also play a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level operatives may start at lower wages, but skilled operatives with years of experience can earn significantly more, reflecting their expertise and the increased responsibilities they undertake.
Job Opportunities
Utility plant operatives can find job opportunities in various sectors, including public utilities, private energy companies, and renewable energy facilities. As the energy sector evolves, these operatives can also explore roles in emerging technologies, enhancing their earning potential.
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Where can a Utility Plant Operative earn more?
Utility plant operative salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level utility plant operative | $38,500 | $18.52 |
| Mid-level utility plant operative | $52,200 | $25.11 |
| Senior-level utility plant operative | $55,800 | $26.84 |
Average utility plant operative salary by state
The average utility plant operative salary in Washington, Alaska, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average utility plant operative salary states are New Mexico, Georgia, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for utility plant operatives
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $58,085 | $27.93 |
| 2 | Maine | $62,011 | $29.81 |
| 3 | Alaska | $64,091 | $30.81 |
| 4 | Nevada | $49,731 | $23.91 |
| 5 | Oregon | $55,814 | $26.83 |
| 6 | Washington | $73,092 | $35.14 |
| 7 | Montana | $47,409 | $22.79 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $54,638 | $26.27 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $45,737 | $21.99 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $45,455 | $21.85 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $46,571 | $22.39 |
| 12 | Illinois | $48,398 | $23.27 |
| 13 | Delaware | $49,973 | $24.03 |
| 14 | California | $52,904 | $25.43 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $54,891 | $26.39 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $43,451 | $20.89 |
| 17 | Indiana | $44,012 | $21.16 |
| 18 | Colorado | $49,491 | $23.79 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $48,379 | $23.26 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $46,735 | $22.47 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $49,469 | $23.78 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $42,023 | $20.20 |
| 23 | Iowa | $41,895 | $20.14 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $49,194 | $23.65 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $44,641 | $21.46 |
| 26 | Utah | $46,241 | $22.23 |
| 27 | Arizona | $44,615 | $21.45 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $45,689 | $21.97 |
| 29 | Virginia | $46,366 | $22.29 |
| 30 | Maryland | $49,035 | $23.57 |
| 31 | Ohio | $40,254 | $19.35 |
| 32 | Michigan | $42,304 | $20.34 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $42,779 | $20.57 |
| 34 | New York | $45,953 | $22.09 |
| 35 | Kansas | $38,111 | $18.32 |
| 36 | Idaho | $42,237 | $20.31 |
| 37 | District of Columbia | $47,667 | $22.92 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $35,730 | $17.18 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $36,823 | $17.70 |
| 40 | Alabama | $35,642 | $17.14 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $35,886 | $17.25 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $30,745 | $14.78 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $36,840 | $17.71 |
| 44 | Missouri | $37,548 | $18.05 |
| 45 | Texas | $36,525 | $17.56 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $30,883 | $14.85 |
| 47 | Georgia | $31,280 | $15.04 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $32,943 | $15.84 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $30,025 | $14.44 |
| 50 | Florida | $33,518 | $16.11 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $30,775 | $14.80 |
Highest paying cities for utility plant operatives
The highest-paying cities for utility plant operatives are Highland, CA, Fort Collins, CO, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland, CA | $51,373 | $24.70 |
| 2 | Fort Collins, CO | $50,021 | $24.05 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $49,170 | $23.64 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $48,630 | $23.38 |
| 5 | Leesburg, VA | $48,137 | $23.14 |
| 6 | Chester, PA | $46,494 | $22.35 |
| 7 | Peoria, AZ | $44,821 | $21.55 |
| 8 | West Lafayette, IN | $44,302 | $21.30 |
| 9 | Shakopee, MN | $42,638 | $20.50 |
| 10 | Cedar Falls, IA | $42,533 | $20.45 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $41,145 | $19.78 |
| 12 | Chesterfield, MO | $37,748 | $18.15 |
| 13 | Florence, SC | $37,308 | $17.94 |
| 14 | Lewisville, TX | $36,823 | $17.70 |
| 15 | Chattanooga, TN | $35,603 | $17.12 |
| 16 | Dalton, GA | $31,805 | $15.29 |
Utility plant operative salary details
A utility plant operative's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $59,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a utility plant operative's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $59,000 | $4,917 | $28 |
| 75th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| Average | $42,253 | $3,521 | $20 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying utility plant operative jobs
The highest paying types of utility plant operatives are transmission system operator, senior system operator, and auxiliary operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Technician | $38,723 | $3,227 | $18.62 | 34,702 |
| Water Treatment Technician | $44,399 | $3,700 | $21.35 | 16,677 |
| Plant Technician | $46,164 | $3,847 | $22.19 | 146,543 |
| Waste Water Operator | $43,470 | $3,622 | $20.90 | 36,711 |
| Water Operator | $43,748 | $3,646 | $21.03 | 38,012 |
| Water Treatment Operator | $48,112 | $4,009 | $23.13 | 32,838 |
Top companies hiring utility plant operatives now:
Which companies pay utility plant operatives the most?
Utility plant operative salaries at Yale University and The University of Chicago are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average utility plant operative salary at companies like California Institute of Technology and University of Massachusetts Boston are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yale University | $63,980 | $30.76 |
| 2 | The University of Chicago | $61,594 | $29.61 |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | $58,733 | $28.24 |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts Boston | $58,499 | $28.12 |
| 5 | City of Peoria | $55,439 | $26.65 |
| 6 | Lancaster General Health | $53,419 | $25.68 |
| 7 | Martin Marietta | $50,290 | $24.18 |
| 8 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $49,711 | $23.90 |
| 9 | Novelis | $49,503 | $23.80 |
| 10 | Ardent Mills | $49,056 | $23.58 |
| 11 | Toro | $48,177 | $23.16 |
| 12 | University of Colorado Boulder | $47,982 | $23.07 |
| 13 | Shaw Industries | $47,764 | $22.96 |
| 14 | Yaamava' Resort & Casino | $47,494 | $22.83 |
| 15 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $47,053 | $22.62 |
| 16 | The Hershey Company | $47,035 | $22.61 |
| 17 | ADM | $46,883 | $22.54 |
| 18 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $45,634 | $21.94 |
| 19 | Doylestown Health | $45,360 | $21.81 |
| 20 | East Stroudsburg University | $44,810 | $21.54 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Utility Plant Operative salary by industry
The average utility plant operative salary varies across industries:
- The average utility plant operative salary in the energy industry is $51,326, the highest of any industry.
- The average utility plant operative salary in the finance industry is $46,829.
- Utility plant operatives in the real estate industry earn an average salary of $38,266, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for utility plant operatives
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $51,326 | $24.68 |
| 2 | Health Care | $46,829 | $22.51 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $44,985 | $21.63 |
| 4 | Media | $41,646 | $20.02 |
| 5 | Government | $40,198 | $19.33 |
| 6 | Transportation | $40,169 | $19.31 |
| 7 | Real Estate | $38,266 | $18.40 |
High paying utility plant operative jobs
Utility plant operative salary trends
The average utility plant operative salary has risen by $6,292 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average utility plant operative earned $35,961 annually, but today, they earn $42,253 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for utility plant operatives over the last decade.
Compare utility plant operative salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average utility plant operative salary over time
Compare utility plant operative salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Utility plant operative salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,300 | $20.31 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $41,100 | $19.76 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $40,300 | $19.36 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $39,700 | $19.10 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $39,400 | $18.94 | +2.1% |
Recently added utility plant operative salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | Utility Plant Operator/Electrician | Boston, MA | 06/21/2025 | $73,902 |
| College of Charleston | Utilities Plant Operator | Charleston, SC | 06/20/2025 | $47,717 |
| Genentech | Master Utility Plant Operator | Hillsboro, OR | 06/19/2025 | $64,000 |
| University of Colorado Boulder | Utility Plant Operator-Control Room | Boulder, CO | 06/19/2025 | $68,682 |
| CRH Plc | Utility Position-Plants and Asphalt | Augusta, ME | 06/19/2025 | $20,870 |
| University of Colorado | Utility Plant Operator-Control Room | Boulder, CO | 06/19/2025 | $68,682 |
| Source Energy Serv J | Plant Utility (Laborer) | Blair, WI | 06/17/2025 | $41,740 |
| Maryland Environmental Service | Utility Operator-MD Grade Stationary Engineer-Steam Plant | Jessup, MD | 06/13/2025 | $48,302 |
| City of Hamilton, Ohio | Utility Plant Relief Operator | Fairfield, OH | 06/12/2025 | $71,302 |
| Engie | Utility Plant Operator I | Iowa City, IA | 06/10/2025 | $46,665 |
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