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Utility plant operative education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a utility plant operative. Utility plant operatives usually study business, engineering, or heating and air conditioning. 41% of utility plant operatives hold a associate degree, and 22% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 396 real utility plant operative resumes to see exactly what utility plant operative education sections show.
The most common colleges for utility plant operatives are the Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
There are also many online utility plant operative courses to help get the education required to be a utility plant operative.
There are certain utility plant operative certifications that you should consider. These utility plant operative certifications include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and Air Conditioning Service Certification.
What education do you need to become a utility plant operative?
What degree do you need to be a utility plant operative?
- Associate, 41%
- Bachelor's, 22%
- High School Diploma, 20%
- Diploma, 7%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a utility plant operative?
- Business, 14%
- Engineering, 10%
- Other Majors, 62%
Most common colleges for utility plant operatives
| Utility plant operative common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Maritime Academy | 10.71% |
| Pennsylvania College of Technology | 10.71% |
| Excelsior College | 7.14% |
| Clark College | 7.14% |
| University of Phoenix | 7.14% |
Best majors for utility plant operatives
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 14.3% |
| 2 | Engineering | 10.4% |
| 3 | Heating And Air Conditioning | 7.8% |
| 4 | Mechanical Engineering | 6.5% |
| 5 | Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians | 6.5% |
Best colleges for utility plant operatives
The best colleges for utility plant operatives are University of Tulsa, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Duke University.
A utility plant operative with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for utility plant operatives. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become utility plant operatives.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,092
Enrollment
3,583
3. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$53,880
Enrollment
6,590
4. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$9,101
Enrollment
23,708
5. Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,711
Enrollment
5,504
6. Vermont Technical College
Randolph, VT • Private
In-state tuition
$15,108
Enrollment
1,350
7. Texas Christian University
Fort Worth, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$46,950
Enrollment
9,407
20 best online courses for utility plant operatives
Advertising disclosure
1. Sustainable Urban Water Systems
The MOOC “Sustainable Urban Water Systems” aims to provide knowledge about modern and sustainable solutions for urban water management in water-sensitive cities. The focus is on stormwater control and water supply strategies for the mitigation of effects on the water cycles due to human settlements and climate change. In particular, the integration of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into urban drainage systems, the use of alternative water resources, and the reduction of losses and waste, make...
2. Curanderismo: Traditional Healing Using Plants
COURSE DESCRIPTION As one of four courses on Curanderismo, the art of Hispanic/Latino traditional medicine, this course focuses specifically on the use of plants in traditional healing. As an educational and cultural platform, this course will share the history, influences, and contributions of traditional medicine. Trained traditional healers will share their knowledge of the healing properties of plants commonly found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico through practical applications...
3. Design of Water Treatment Systems for Beginners
Learn how to fully design a water treatment system for small to medium scale projects...
4. Water Treatment Process Design
design water treatment& RO/NF plants, sand& multimedia filter, iron& manganese removal filter, Ion exchange DI& softener...
5. Plant Bioinformatics Capstone
The past 15 years have been exciting ones in plant biology. Hundreds of plant genomes have been sequenced, RNA-seq has enabled transcriptome-wide expression profiling, and a proliferation of "-seq"-based methods has permitted protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions to be determined cheaply and in a high-throughput manner. These data sets in turn allow us to generate hypotheses at the click of a mouse or tap of a finger. In Plant Bioinformatics on Coursera.org, we covered 33 plant-specific...
6. Power System: Generation, Transmission and Protection
The course “Electrical Power Generation” enables the learner to understand the power sector scenario from generation, transmission, and distribution components. The learner will have an overview of generation from thermal power plants, its auxiliaries, and the control strategy adopted in the generation plant, which will give a virtual feel of the power sector functioning.\n\nThrough the “Power Transmission System with Industrial Applications” course, learners will focus on the structure of the...
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9. Plant Bioinformatics
The past 15 years have been exciting ones in plant biology. Hundreds of plant genomes have been sequenced, RNA-seq has enabled transcriptome-wide expression profiling, and a proliferation of "-seq"-based methods has permitted protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions to be determined cheaply and in a high-throughput manner. These data sets in turn allow us to generate hypotheses at the click of a mouse. For instance, knowing where and when a gene is expressed can help us narrow down the...
10. Plant Bioinformatic Methods
The past 15 years have been exciting ones in plant biology. Hundreds of plant genomes have been sequenced, RNA-seq has enabled transcriptome-wide expression profiling, and a proliferation of "-seq"-based methods has permitted protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions to be determined cheaply and in a high-throughput manner. These data sets in turn allow us to generate hypotheses at the click of a mouse or tap of a finger.The Plant Bioinformatics Specialization on Coursera introduces core...
11. Operating Systems Final Part (4): File Systems & Threads
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12. Operating Systems Part 3: Synchronization and Deadlock
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13. Introduction to Operating Systems
This specialization is intended for people with some programming experience who seek an approachable introduction to how operating systems work on a fundamental level. This course will equip learners with foundational knowledge of operating systems suitable for any developer roles. In these four courses, you will cover everything from the basics of a C program to distributed systems. These topics will help prepare you to optimize the performance of the programs you write...
14. Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows
For centuries we have collectively marveled at plant diversity and form—from Charles Darwin’s early fascination with stems and flowers to Seymour Krelborn’s distorted doting in Little Shop of Horrors. This course intends to present an intriguing and scientifically valid look at how plants themselves experience the world—from the colors they see to the sensations they feel. Highlighting the latest research in genetics and more, we will delve into the inner lives of plants and draw parallels with...
15. Real World SAP - Plant Maintenance Orders and Notifications
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16. Operating Systems from scratch - Part 2
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17. Operating Systems from scratch - Part 1
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18. Write Your Own Operating System From Scratch - Step by Step
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19. BMS - Building management system
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20. Electrical Control & Protection Systems
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Top 10 most affordable universities for utility plant operatives
The most affordable schools for utility plant operatives are Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon, inter american university of puerto rico guayama, and inter american university of puerto rico san german.
If the best universities for utility plant operatives are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for utility plant operatives.
1. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon
Bayamon, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
13,508
2. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Guayama
Guayama, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,902
Cost of attendance
13,893
3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico San German
San German, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,940
Cost of attendance
14,322
4. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$7,633
Cost of attendance
19,235
5. New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,120
Cost of attendance
13,997
6. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,570
Cost of attendance
23,713
7. Eastern New Mexico University
Portales, NM • Private
In-state tuition
$6,326
Cost of attendance
17,330
8. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,874
Cost of attendance
26,736
9. SUNY College of Technology at Canton
Canton, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,389
Cost of attendance
22,302
10. Montana Technological University
Butte, MT • Private
In-state tuition
$7,412
Cost of attendance
19,400
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for utility plant operatives
The hardest universities for utility plant operatives to get into are University of Tulsa, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Duke University.
Some great schools for utility plant operatives are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for utility plant operatives based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
2. Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
66%
SAT average
1,319
3. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
4. Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
76%
SAT average
1,214
5. Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, CA • Private
Admissions rate
50%
SAT average
1,366
6. Creighton University
Omaha, NE • Private
Admissions rate
71%
SAT average
1,276
7. Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA • Private
Admissions rate
33%
SAT average
1,353
8. SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY • Private
Admissions rate
61%
SAT average
1,227
9. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
Admissions rate
56%
SAT average
1,269
10. North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,336
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for utility plant operatives
The easiest schools for utility plant operatives to get into are Saint Joseph's University, grand valley state university, and suny college of technology at canton.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a utility plant operative without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for utility plant operatives.
1. Saint Joseph's University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
76%
SAT average
1,214
2. Grand Valley State University
Allendale, MI • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,158
3. SUNY College of Technology at Canton
Canton, NY • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
997
4. Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg, MA • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,078
5. Ferris State University
Big Rapids, MI • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,070
6. Kent State University
Kent, OH • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,131
7. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY • Private
Admissions rate
63%
SAT average
1,071
8. University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
1,120
9. Pennsylvania State University - Harrisburg
Middletown, PA • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,177
10. Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, KY • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,162
Average utility plant operative salary by education level
| Utility plant operative education level | Utility plant operative salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,002 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,039 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,605 |
Utility plant operative education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025