What are the main factors that influence a Hydro Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Hydro Operator's salary?

A Hydro Operator's salary grows with experience: a Power Plant Operator I (0-1 years)earns $71,420, a Hydro Operator (1-3 years)earns $83,080, a Power Plant Operator III (3-5 years)earns $93,314, a Power Plant Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $108,013, a Power Plant Operations Shift Supervisor I (7+ years)earns $124,731,

What are the highest paying states for a Hydro Operator?

Hydro Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Hydro Operator roles are District of Columbia $90,707, California $90,363, Massachusetts $89,159. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Hydro Operator roles make?

Salaries for Hydro Operator level roles vary by specialization: Power Plant Operator IV: $105,399; Power Plant Operator III: $91,056; Hydro Technician: $81,363; Utility Plant Operator II: $81,100; Power Plant Operator II: $81,069.

How do different companies affect a Hydro Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Hydro Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc ($126,909) and GE Renewable Energy ($121,776) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $76,117.

Hydro Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Hydro Operator make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Hydro Operator in the United States is $81,925 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Hydro Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,767
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $76,383 to $91,788
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $71,338

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Hydro Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,788	$7,649	$1,765	$44
Average	$81,925	$6,827	$1,575	$39
25th Percentile	$76,383	$6,365	$1,469	$37

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Key Factors That Influence Hydro Operator Salaries

A Hydro Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Hydro Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Hydro Operator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $71,420
Early Career (1-2 years): $83,080
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $93,314
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $108,013
Expert (over 8 years): $124,731

Levels	Salary
Power Pla... Level Hydro Operator	$71,420
Hydro Ope... Level Hydro Operator	$83,080
Power Pla... Level Hydro Operator	$93,314
Power Pla... Level Hydro Operator	$108,013
Power Pla... Level Hydro Operator	$124,731

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Hydro Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Hydro Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $90,707.
California: $90,363.
Massachusetts: $89,159.

District of Columbia $90,707

California $90,363

Massachusetts $89,159

Washington $88,831

New Jersey $88,799

Alaska $88,684

Connecticut $87,553

New York $87,094

Hawaii $85,628

Rhode Island $84,940

Maryland $84,473

Minnesota $83,834

Colorado $83,588

Illinois $83,506

Oregon $83,195

Delaware $82,965

New Hampshire $82,821

Virginia $82,498

Pennsylvania $81,556

Nevada $81,081

North Dakota $80,926

Michigan $80,680

Wisconsin $80,590

Vermont $80,409

Texas $79,910

Maine $79,877

Arizona $79,828

Ohio $79,770

Georgia $79,017

Indiana $78,640

Wyoming $78,566

Utah $78,451

Iowa $78,402

Kansas $78,009

Louisiana $77,894

North Carolina $77,853

Missouri $77,837

Florida $77,517

Montana $77,345

Nebraska $77,182

Kentucky $77,091

South Carolina $76,764

Tennessee $76,559

Idaho $76,477

New Mexico $75,879

Oklahoma $75,748

Alabama $75,264

South Dakota $74,453

Arkansas $74,011

West Virginia $73,773

Mississippi $73,061

Top Paying Cities for Hydro Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $103,332
San Francisco: $102,316
Oakland: $100,047

San Jose, CA $103,332

San Francisco, CA $102,316

Oakland, CA $100,047

New York, NY $94,943

Queens Village, NY $94,328

Paramus, NJ $93,673

Passaic, NJ $93,591

Bergenfield, NJ $93,509

Stamford, CT $93,386

Huntington, NY $93,304

Newark, NJ $92,772

Bridgeport, CT $92,608

New Brunswick, NJ $92,338

Vallejo, CA $92,166

Middlesex, NJ $92,116

Somerset, NJ $92,043

Petaluma, CA $91,854

Santa Cruz, CA $91,535

Boston, MA $91,371

Monterey, CA $90,961

Fairbanks, AK $90,904

Los Angeles, CA $90,748

Washington, DC $90,707

Seattle, WA $90,560

Santa Rosa, CA $90,544

Juneau, AK $90,306

Orange, CA $90,036

Anchorage, AK $89,888

Anaheim, CA $89,831

Santa Ana, CA $89,708

Nassau, NY $89,659

Long Beach, CA $89,626

Danbury, CT $89,601

Santa Maria, CA $89,323

Everett, WA $89,306

Bremerton, WA $88,905

Trenton, NJ $88,749

Sacramento, CA $88,717

San Diego, CA $88,676

Brockton, MA $88,643

Tacoma, WA $88,610

Santa Barbara, CA $88,495

Lowell, MA $88,168

New Suffolk, NY $88,135

Nashua, NH $88,037

Lompoc, CA $87,906

Ventura, CA $87,824

Stockton, CA $87,799

New Haven, CT $87,635

Atlantic City, NJ $87,422

Hartford, CT $87,242

Modesto, CA $87,201

Poughkeepsie, NY $87,021

New Britain, CT $86,980

Olympia, WA $86,865

Kennewick, WA $86,865

New London, CT $86,849

Norwich, CT $86,824

Lawrence, MA $86,783

Bakersfield, CA $86,554

Riverside, CA $86,439

New Bedford, MA $86,439

Richland, WA $86,357

Portsmouth, NH $86,292

Vineland, NJ $86,275

San Bernardino, CA $86,210

Boulder, CO $85,980

Worcester, MA $85,915

Portland, OR $85,841

Saint Paul, MN $85,743

Minneapolis, MN $85,743

Philadelphia, PA $85,628

Honolulu, HI $85,194

Springfield, MA $84,907

Providence, RI $84,899

Chicago, IL $84,661

Bellingham, WA $84,563

Baltimore, MD $84,473

Chico, CA $84,268

Wilmington, DE $84,129

Pittsfield, MA $84,047

Manchester, NH $83,891

Spokane, WA $83,531

Denver, CO $83,523

Albany, NY $83,137

Troy, NY $83,105

Schenectady, NY $82,933

Burlington, VT $82,752

Portland, ME $82,466

Salem, OR $82,400

Yakima, WA $82,384

Ann Arbor, MI $82,359

Rochester, MN $82,130

Fresno, CA $82,089

Reno, NV $82,089

Milwaukee, WI $82,015

Detroit, MI $81,933

Allentown, PA $81,909

Carson City, NV $81,900

Houston, TX $81,778

Colorado Springs, CO $81,769

Syracuse, NY $81,728

Eugene, OR $81,573

Bismarck, ND $81,474

Gary, IN $81,474

Galveston, TX $81,474

Springfield, OR $81,409

Medford, OR $81,212

Fort Collins, CO $81,179

Austin, TX $81,114

Mesa, AZ $80,942

Phoenix, AZ $80,926

Dallas, TX $80,901

Reading, PA $80,852

Saint Cloud, MN $80,819

Concord, NH $80,745

Madison, WI $80,713

Utica, NY $80,491

Raleigh, NC $80,426

Las Vegas, NV $80,418

Rochester, NY $80,360

Des Moines, IA $80,352

Atlanta, GA $80,221

Battle Creek, MI $80,196

Salt Lake City, UT $80,172

Lancaster, PA $80,049

Champaign, IL $80,033

Harrisburg, PA $79,934

Durham, NC $79,860

Kansas City, MO $79,852

Kansas City, KS $79,836

Fort Worth, TX $79,828

Boca Raton, FL $79,795

Cleveland, OH $79,787

Columbus, OH $79,770

Pittsburgh, PA $79,762

Richmond, VA $79,729

Indianapolis, IN $79,713

Cincinnati, OH $79,607

Petersburg, VA $79,484

Billings, MT $79,303

Lansing, MI $79,303

Huntsville, AL $79,303

Lebanon, PA $79,295

Dayton, OH $79,287

Pueblo, CO $79,287

Appleton, WI $79,262

Buffalo, NY $79,230

Racine, WI $79,189

Charlotte, NC $79,181

Saint Louis, MO $79,156

Springfield, IL $79,123

Elkhart, IN $79,107

York, PA $79,107

Gastonia, NC $79,099

Benton Harbor, MI $79,099

Beaumont, TX $79,049

Lorain, OH $79,033

Toledo, OH $79,000

Binghamton, NY $78,959

Rock Hill, SC $78,951

Rockford, IL $78,910

Fargo, ND $78,869

Elyria, OH $78,869

Flagstaff, AZ $78,812

Fort Lauderdale, FL $78,763

Miami, FL $78,714

Duluth, MN $78,582

Bangor, ME $78,476

Cedar Rapids, IA $78,386

Louisville, KY $78,345

Grand Rapids, MI $78,328

Hialeah, FL $78,320

Casper, WY $78,206

Scranton, PA $78,107

New Orleans, LA $78,083

Virginia Beach, VA $78,075

Akron, OH $78,034

Peoria, IL $77,927

Sarasota, FL $77,911

Green Bay, WI $77,853

Baton Rouge, LA $77,812

Charleston, SC $77,796

Nashville, TN $77,771

Jamestown, NY $77,755

Davenport, IA $77,755

Tucson, AZ $77,714

Cheyenne, WY $77,689

Saint Petersburg, FL $77,665

Tampa, FL $77,649

Omaha, NE $77,632

Port Arthur, TX $77,599

Evansville, IN $77,599

Bradenton, FL $77,567

Santa Fe, NM $77,419

Orlando, FL $77,337

Clearwater, FL $77,247

Canton, OH $77,075

La Crosse, WI $77,075

Grand Forks, ND $77,050

Albuquerque, NM $77,026

Tulsa, OK $77,026

Newport News, VA $77,018

High Point, NC $76,993

Ogden, UT $76,960

Corpus Christi, TX $76,895

Laramie, WY $76,846

Norfolk, VA $76,846

Rock Island, IL $76,796

Saginaw, MI $76,780

Jacksonville, FL $76,772

Salisbury, NC $76,756

Memphis, TN $76,739

Moline, IL $76,698

Fort Myers, FL $76,674

Waterloo, IA $76,567

Spartanburg, SC $76,485

Lincoln, NE $76,444

Fort Wayne, IN $76,428

Birmingham, AL $76,338

Cedar Falls, IA $76,321

Provo, UT $76,313

Springfield, OH $76,305

San Antonio, TX $76,289

Greensboro, NC $76,256

South Bend, IN $76,248

Winston Salem, NC $76,239

Boise, ID $76,215

Savannah, GA $76,157

Muskegon, MI $76,010

Lima, OH $75,912

Lake Charles, LA $75,879

Anderson, IN $75,863

Lexington, KY $75,838

Augusta, GA $75,813

Greenville, SC $75,813

Wichita, KS $75,740

Tuscaloosa, AL $75,740

Columbia, SC $75,666

Bloomington, IN $75,461

Roanoke, VA $75,412

Asheville, NC $75,305

Knoxville, TN $75,166

Shreveport, LA $75,158

Wilmington, NC $75,051

Frankfort, KY $74,896

Oklahoma City, OK $74,838

Chillicothe, OH $74,806

Longview, TX $74,798

Topeka, KS $74,773

Mobile, AL $74,650

Terre Haute, IN $74,617

Erie, PA $74,609

Altoona, PA $74,568

Melbourne, FL $74,544

Amarillo, TX $74,511

Killeen, TX $74,486

Fayetteville, AR $74,421

Sioux Falls, SD $74,363

Chattanooga, TN $74,314

Idaho Falls, ID $74,306

Gainesville, FL $74,134

Portsmouth, OH $74,093

Little Rock, AR $74,077

Lynchburg, VA $74,077

Lafayette, LA $74,044

Youngstown, OH $74,044

Temple, TX $74,011

Daytona Beach, FL $73,995

Clarksville, TN $73,986

Pensacola, FL $73,978

Hopkinsville, KY $73,733

Charleston, WV $73,724

Florence, SC $73,683

Sioux City, IA $73,634

Macon, GA $73,397

Tallahassee, FL $73,388

Fayetteville, NC $73,372

Waco, TX $73,356

Wichita Falls, TX $73,356

Pine Bluff, AR $73,323

Vincennes, IN $73,167

Lubbock, TX $73,134

Great Falls, MT $73,085

Alamogordo, NM $73,077

Abilene, TX $73,012

Rapid City, SD $72,905

Monroe, LA $72,905

Albany, GA $72,856

Huntington, WV $72,848

Jackson, MS $72,840

Greenville, MS $72,831

Parkersburg, WV $72,749

Montgomery, AL $72,733

Johnstown, PA $72,717

Springfield, MO $72,651

Biloxi, MS $72,610

Sumter, SC $72,438

Columbus, GA $72,430

Twin Falls, ID $72,381

Pascagoula, MS $72,274

Kingsport, TN $72,061

Gulfport, MS $72,037

Alexandria, LA $71,766

Fort Smith, AR $71,561

El Paso, TX $71,340

Helena, MT $71,234

Las Cruces, NM $70,972

Harlingen, TX $70,742

Pocatello, ID $70,669

Florence, AL $70,644

Brownsville, TX $70,628

Dothan, AL $70,496

Mcallen, TX $70,456

Columbus, MS $69,849

Altus, OK $69,472

Lawton, OK $69,317

Pierre, SD $69,022

What Skills Can Increase a Hydro Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.86% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Healthcare Facilities Management (Mentioned in 5.23% Job Postings): Developing and implementing facility plans and processes while coordinating assets, resources, and people to ensure excellent healthcare services.
Control Structure (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): Control Structures are the blocks that analyze variables and choose directions in which to go based on given parameters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	4.86%
Healthcare Facilities Management	5.23%
Control Structure	4.05%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Hydro Operator's salary.

Team Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Mechanical Systems: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
HVAC: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Team Operations	$86,841	6%
Mechanical Systems	$85,202	4%
HVAC	$85,202	4%
Collaboration	$85,202	4%
Leadership	$84,383	3%
Standard Operating Procedures	$83,564	2%

Get Latest Data

Hydro Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Hydro Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$76,383

Average $81,925/year

$91,788

$6,365

Average $6,827/month

$7,649

$1,469

Average $1,575/week

$1,765

$37

Average $39/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,788	$7,649	$1,765	$44
Average	$81,925	$6,827	$1,575	$39
25th Percentile	$76,383	$6,365	$1,469	$37

Salaries of jobs related to Hydro Operator

Salary Trends for Hydro Operator

Salaries for a Hydro Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $75,050 in 2023 to around $74,226 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Hydro Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Hydro Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$75,050

2024

$74,871

2025

$74,226

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$75,050
2024	$74,871
2025	$74,226
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Hydro Operator

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