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Power Plant Operators in California
Get the information you need to know about working as a Power Plant Operator.
- Power Plant Operators in California earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
How Many Power Plant Operators Work in California?
In California, there were 3,670 people working as Power Plant Operators in the year 2018.
There were 3,210 Power Plant Operators employed in this state in 2017.
That’s growth of 460 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 500 Power Plant Operators working in it, which means California has more Power Plant Operators than average.
Job Projections for California
Jobs for Power Plant Operators in this state are not projected to grow or decrease, but nationwide they are growing at a rate of 1.1%.
California Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates 280 annual job openings, and a total of 3,200 jobs for California Power Plant Operators in 2026.
Nationwide, the prediction is 3,200 annual jobs and 36,500 total jobs in 2026.
What do Power Plant Operators Make in California?
In 2018 wages for Power Plant Operators ranged from $60,490 to $127,090 with $95,340 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $29.08 to $61.1. The median hourly rate was $45.84.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $46.22 an hour.
The hourly rate declined by $0.38.
The median salary in California is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top California Metros for Power Plant Operators
The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Power Plant Operators.
| Metro | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 300 | $111,150 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 290 | $86,690 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 230 | $67,710 |
| Fresno, CA | 190 | $108,020 |
| Sacramento–Roseville–Arden-Arcade, CA | 180 | $113,950 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 110 | $103,630 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 90 | $81,150 |
| Modesto, CA | 70 | $104,880 |
| Merced, CA | 60 | $93,930 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 40 | $86,420 |
| Madera, CA | 40 | $49,300 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 30 | $86,420 |
Top States for Power Plant Operators Employment
The table below shows the states where most Power Plant Operators work.
| State | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| California | 3,670 | $95,340 |
| Texas | 2,530 | $76,520 |
| New York | 1,850 | $90,690 |
| Michigan | 1,640 | $78,850 |
| Florida | 1,620 | $74,250 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,540 | $73,720 |
| Ohio | 1,280 | $73,260 |
| North Carolina | 1,180 | $85,980 |
| Illinois | 1,110 | $77,510 |
| Massachusetts | 990 | $80,590 |
| Minnesota | 990 | $84,830 |
| Missouri | 910 | $76,100 |
| Colorado | 780 | $82,030 |
| Kentucky | 720 | $87,520 |
| Georgia | 680 | $71,480 |
| Wisconsin | 660 | $64,030 |
| Alabama | 660 | $68,360 |
| Tennessee | 620 | $80,970 |
| Kansas | 590 | $53,020 |
| Indiana | 560 | $66,750 |
Below are the states where Power Plant Operators get paid the most:
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $95,340 |
| Washington | $93,330 |
| Hawaii | $92,620 |
| North Dakota | $92,350 |
| Maryland | $91,770 |
| New York | $90,690 |
| New Jersey | $88,110 |
| Kentucky | $87,520 |
| Nevada | $87,460 |
| North Carolina | $85,980 |
Related Careers in California
Discover similar careers:
| Occupation | California Employment Total |
|---|---|
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | 1,060 |
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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