What are the main factors that influence an Utility Plant Operator's salary?

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

How does experience change an Utility Plant Operator's salary?

An Utility Plant Operator's salary grows with experience: starting around $80,129 for beginners, reaching about $84,824 at mid-level, and approach $87,976 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for an Utility Plant Operator?

Utility Plant Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Utility Plant Operator roles are District of Columbia $91,590, California $91,242, Massachusetts $90,026. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Utility Plant Operator roles make?

Salaries for Utility Plant Operator level roles vary by specialization: Utility Plant Director: $194,560; Utility Plant Manager: $168,160; Utility Plant Operator IV: $105,330; Power Plant Operator IV: $105,324; Utility Plant Operator V: $91,325.

How do different companies affect an Utility Plant Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Utility Plant 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.

Utility Plant Operator Salary in the United States

How much does an Utility Plant Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Utility Plant Operator in the United States is $82,722 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $40.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $105,473
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,085 to $94,631
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $71,952

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Utility Plant Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$94,631	$7,886	$1,820	$45
Average	$82,722	$6,894	$1,591	$40
25th Percentile	$77,085	$6,424	$1,482	$37

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Key Factors That Influence Utility Plant Operator Salaries

An Utility Plant 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 Utility Plant Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Utility Plant 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): $80,129
Early Career (1-2 years): $81,066
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,824
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $87,626
Expert (over 8 years): $87,976

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Utility Plant Operator	$80,129
Intermediate Level Utility Plant Operator	$81,066
Senior Level Utility Plant Operator	$84,824
Specialist Level Utility Plant Operator	$87,626
Expert Level Utility Plant Operator	$87,976

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Utility Plant 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 Utility Plant Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $91,590.
California: $91,242.
Massachusetts: $90,026.

District of Columbia $91,590 California $91,242 Massachusetts $90,026 Washington $89,696 New Jersey $89,662 Alaska $89,547 Connecticut $88,405 New York $87,942

Hawaii $86,461 Rhode Island $85,766 Maryland $85,295 Minnesota $84,650 Colorado $84,401 Illinois $84,319 Oregon $84,004 Delaware $83,773

New Hampshire $83,627 Virginia $83,301 Pennsylvania $82,350 Nevada $81,870 North Dakota $81,713 Michigan $81,465 Wisconsin $81,374 Vermont $81,192

Texas $80,687 Maine $80,654 Arizona $80,604 Ohio $80,547 Georgia $79,785 Indiana $79,405 Wyoming $79,330 Utah $79,215

Iowa $79,165 Kansas $78,768 Louisiana $78,652 North Carolina $78,611 Missouri $78,594 Florida $78,272 Montana $78,098 Nebraska $77,932

Kentucky $77,841 South Carolina $77,511 Tennessee $77,304 Idaho $77,221 New Mexico $76,617 Oklahoma $76,485 Alabama $75,997 South Dakota $75,178

Arkansas $74,731 West Virginia $74,491 Mississippi $73,772

Top Paying Cities for Utility Plant 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: $104,337
San Francisco: $103,312
Oakland: $101,020

San Jose, CA $104,337

San Francisco, CA $103,312

Oakland, CA $101,020

New York, NY $95,867

Queens Village, NY $95,246

Paramus, NJ $94,584

Passaic, NJ $94,502

Bergenfield, NJ $94,419

Stamford, CT $94,295

Huntington, NY $94,212

Newark, NJ $93,675

Bridgeport, CT $93,509

New Brunswick, NJ $93,236

Vallejo, CA $93,062

Middlesex, NJ $93,013

Somerset, NJ $92,938

Petaluma, CA $92,748

Santa Cruz, CA $92,425

Boston, MA $92,260

Monterey, CA $91,846

Fairbanks, AK $91,788

Los Angeles, CA $91,631

Washington, DC $91,590

Seattle, WA $91,441

Santa Rosa, CA $91,424

Juneau, AK $91,185

Orange, CA $90,912

Anchorage, AK $90,763

Anaheim, CA $90,705

Santa Ana, CA $90,581

Nassau, NY $90,531

Long Beach, CA $90,498

Danbury, CT $90,473

Santa Maria, CA $90,192

Everett, WA $90,175

Bremerton, WA $89,770

Trenton, NJ $89,613

Sacramento, CA $89,580

San Diego, CA $89,538

Brockton, MA $89,505

Tacoma, WA $89,472

Santa Barbara, CA $89,356

Lowell, MA $89,026

New Suffolk, NY $88,992

Nashua, NH $88,893

Lompoc, CA $88,761

Ventura, CA $88,678

Stockton, CA $88,653

New Haven, CT $88,488

Atlantic City, NJ $88,273

Hartford, CT $88,091

Modesto, CA $88,049

Poughkeepsie, NY $87,867

New Britain, CT $87,826

Olympia, WA $87,710

Kennewick, WA $87,710

New London, CT $87,694

Norwich, CT $87,669

Lawrence, MA $87,628

Bakersfield, CA $87,396

Riverside, CA $87,280

New Bedford, MA $87,280

Richland, WA $87,197

Portsmouth, NH $87,131

Vineland, NJ $87,115

San Bernardino, CA $87,048

Boulder, CO $86,817

Worcester, MA $86,751

Portland, OR $86,676

Saint Paul, MN $86,577

Minneapolis, MN $86,577

Philadelphia, PA $86,461

Honolulu, HI $86,023

Springfield, MA $85,733

Providence, RI $85,725

Chicago, IL $85,485

Bellingham, WA $85,386

Baltimore, MD $85,295

Chico, CA $85,088

Wilmington, DE $84,947

Pittsfield, MA $84,865

Manchester, NH $84,707

Spokane, WA $84,343

Denver, CO $84,335

Albany, NY $83,946

Troy, NY $83,913

Schenectady, NY $83,740

Burlington, VT $83,558

Portland, ME $83,268

Salem, OR $83,202

Yakima, WA $83,185

Ann Arbor, MI $83,161

Rochester, MN $82,929

Fresno, CA $82,888

Reno, NV $82,888

Milwaukee, WI $82,813

Detroit, MI $82,730

Allentown, PA $82,706

Carson City, NV $82,697

Houston, TX $82,573

Colorado Springs, CO $82,565

Syracuse, NY $82,524

Eugene, OR $82,366

Bismarck, ND $82,267

Gary, IN $82,267

Galveston, TX $82,267

Springfield, OR $82,201

Medford, OR $82,002

Fort Collins, CO $81,969

Austin, TX $81,903

Mesa, AZ $81,729

Phoenix, AZ $81,713

Dallas, TX $81,688

Reading, PA $81,638

Saint Cloud, MN $81,605

Concord, NH $81,531

Madison, WI $81,498

Utica, NY $81,274

Raleigh, NC $81,208

Las Vegas, NV $81,200

Rochester, NY $81,142

Des Moines, IA $81,134

Atlanta, GA $81,001

Battle Creek, MI $80,977

Salt Lake City, UT $80,952

Lancaster, PA $80,828

Champaign, IL $80,811

Harrisburg, PA $80,712

Durham, NC $80,638

Kansas City, MO $80,629

Kansas City, KS $80,613

Fort Worth, TX $80,604

Boca Raton, FL $80,571

Cleveland, OH $80,563

Columbus, OH $80,547

Pittsburgh, PA $80,538

Richmond, VA $80,505

Indianapolis, IN $80,489

Cincinnati, OH $80,381

Petersburg, VA $80,257

Billings, MT $80,075

Lansing, MI $80,075

Huntsville, AL $80,075

Lebanon, PA $80,067

Dayton, OH $80,058

Pueblo, CO $80,058

Appleton, WI $80,034

Buffalo, NY $80,001

Racine, WI $79,959

Charlotte, NC $79,951

Saint Louis, MO $79,926

Springfield, IL $79,893

Elkhart, IN $79,876

York, PA $79,876

Gastonia, NC $79,868

Benton Harbor, MI $79,868

Beaumont, TX $79,819

Lorain, OH $79,802

Toledo, OH $79,769

Binghamton, NY $79,728

Rock Hill, SC $79,719

Rockford, IL $79,678

Fargo, ND $79,637

Elyria, OH $79,637

Flagstaff, AZ $79,579

Fort Lauderdale, FL $79,529

Miami, FL $79,479

Duluth, MN $79,347

Bangor, ME $79,239

Cedar Rapids, IA $79,149

Louisville, KY $79,107

Grand Rapids, MI $79,091

Hialeah, FL $79,082

Casper, WY $78,967

Scranton, PA $78,867

New Orleans, LA $78,842

Virginia Beach, VA $78,834

Akron, OH $78,793

Peoria, IL $78,685

Sarasota, FL $78,669

Green Bay, WI $78,611

Baton Rouge, LA $78,569

Charleston, SC $78,553

Nashville, TN $78,528

Jamestown, NY $78,512

Davenport, IA $78,512

Tucson, AZ $78,470

Cheyenne, WY $78,445

Saint Petersburg, FL $78,421

Tampa, FL $78,404

Omaha, NE $78,387

Port Arthur, TX $78,354

Evansville, IN $78,354

Bradenton, FL $78,321

Santa Fe, NM $78,172

Orlando, FL $78,090

Clearwater, FL $77,999

Canton, OH $77,825

La Crosse, WI $77,825

Grand Forks, ND $77,800

Albuquerque, NM $77,775

Tulsa, OK $77,775

Newport News, VA $77,767

High Point, NC $77,742

Ogden, UT $77,709

Corpus Christi, TX $77,643

Laramie, WY $77,593

Norfolk, VA $77,593

Rock Island, IL $77,544

Saginaw, MI $77,527

Jacksonville, FL $77,519

Salisbury, NC $77,502

Memphis, TN $77,486

Moline, IL $77,444

Fort Myers, FL $77,420

Waterloo, IA $77,312

Spartanburg, SC $77,229

Lincoln, NE $77,188

Fort Wayne, IN $77,171

Birmingham, AL $77,080

Cedar Falls, IA $77,064

Provo, UT $77,056

Springfield, OH $77,047

San Antonio, TX $77,031

Greensboro, NC $76,998

South Bend, IN $76,989

Winston Salem, NC $76,981

Boise, ID $76,956

Savannah, GA $76,898

Muskegon, MI $76,750

Lima, OH $76,650

Lake Charles, LA $76,617

Anderson, IN $76,601

Lexington, KY $76,576

Augusta, GA $76,551

Greenville, SC $76,551

Wichita, KS $76,477

Tuscaloosa, AL $76,477

Columbia, SC $76,402

Bloomington, IN $76,195

Roanoke, VA $76,146

Asheville, NC $76,038

Knoxville, TN $75,898

Shreveport, LA $75,889

Wilmington, NC $75,782

Frankfort, KY $75,625

Oklahoma City, OK $75,567

Chillicothe, OH $75,534

Longview, TX $75,525

Topeka, KS $75,500

Mobile, AL $75,376

Terre Haute, IN $75,343

Erie, PA $75,335

Altoona, PA $75,294

Melbourne, FL $75,269

Amarillo, TX $75,236

Killeen, TX $75,211

Fayetteville, AR $75,145

Sioux Falls, SD $75,087

Chattanooga, TN $75,037

Idaho Falls, ID $75,029

Gainesville, FL $74,855

Portsmouth, OH $74,814

Little Rock, AR $74,797

Lynchburg, VA $74,797

Lafayette, LA $74,764

Youngstown, OH $74,764

Temple, TX $74,731

Daytona Beach, FL $74,715

Clarksville, TN $74,706

Pensacola, FL $74,698

Hopkinsville, KY $74,450

Charleston, WV $74,442

Florence, SC $74,400

Sioux City, IA $74,351

Macon, GA $74,111

Tallahassee, FL $74,102

Fayetteville, NC $74,086

Waco, TX $74,069

Wichita Falls, TX $74,069

Pine Bluff, AR $74,036

Vincennes, IN $73,879

Lubbock, TX $73,846

Great Falls, MT $73,796

Alamogordo, NM $73,788

Abilene, TX $73,722

Rapid City, SD $73,614

Monroe, LA $73,614

Albany, GA $73,565

Huntington, WV $73,556

Jackson, MS $73,548

Greenville, MS $73,540

Parkersburg, WV $73,457

Montgomery, AL $73,441

Johnstown, PA $73,424

Springfield, MO $73,358

Biloxi, MS $73,317

Sumter, SC $73,143

Columbus, GA $73,135

Twin Falls, ID $73,085

Pascagoula, MS $72,977

Kingsport, TN $72,762

Gulfport, MS $72,738

Alexandria, LA $72,465

Fort Smith, AR $72,258

El Paso, TX $72,034

Helena, MT $71,927

Las Cruces, NM $71,662

Harlingen, TX $71,431

Pocatello, ID $71,356

Florence, AL $71,331

Brownsville, TX $71,315

Dothan, AL $71,182

Mcallen, TX $71,141

Columbus, MS $70,529

Altus, OK $70,148

Lawton, OK $69,991

Pierre, SD $69,693

What Skills Can Increase an Utility Plant 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 an Utility Plant 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	$87,685	6%
Mechanical Systems	$86,031	4%
HVAC	$86,031	4%
Collaboration	$86,031	4%
Leadership	$85,204	3%
Standard Operating Procedures	$84,377	2%

Get Latest Data

Utility Plant Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Utility Plant 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 January 01, 2026

$77,085

Average $82,722/year

$94,631

$6,424

Average $6,894/month

$7,886

$1,482

Average $1,591/week

$1,820

$37

Average $40/hour

$45

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$94,631	$7,886	$1,820	$45
Average	$82,722	$6,894	$1,591	$40
25th Percentile	$77,085	$6,424	$1,482	$37

Salaries of jobs related to Utility Plant Operator

Salary Trends for Utility Plant Operator

Salaries for an Utility Plant Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $73,988 in 2023 to around $73,176 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Utility Plant Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Utility Plant Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$73,988

2024

$73,812

2025

$73,176

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$73,988
2024	$73,812
2025	$73,176
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Utility Plant Operator

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