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Power Plant Operators in Tennessee
Get the information you need to know about working as a Power Plant Operator.
You’re in luck! Jobs for Power Plant Operators in Tennessee are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
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Projected employment for Power Plant Operators in Tennessee is growing slower than average.
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Power Plant Operators in Tennessee earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.
How Many Power Plant Operators Work in Tennessee?
620 people worked as Power Plant Operators in 2018 in this state.
There were 550 Power Plant Operators employed in this state in 2017.
That’s growth of 70 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 500 Power Plant Operators working in it, which means Tennessee has more Power Plant Operators than average.
Job Projections for Tennessee
Jobs for Power Plant Operators in this state are growing at a rate of 3.7% which is faster than the nationwide estimated projection of 1.1%.
Tennessee Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates 50 annual job openings, and a total of 560 jobs for Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
In 2018 wages for Power Plant Operators ranged from $44,190 to $96,570 with $80,970 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $21.25 to $46.43. The median hourly rate was $38.93.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $40.43 an hour.
The hourly rate declined by $1.50.
The median salary in Tennessee is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top Tennessee 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 110 | $89,050 |
| Knoxville, TN | 100 | $84,280 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 100 | $80,960 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 90 | $91,490 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 80 | $66,010 |
Top States for Power Plant Operators Employment
View the list below to see 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 Tennessee
You may also be interested in the following careers:
| Occupation | Tennessee Employment Total |
|---|---|
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operators | 470 |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | 110 |
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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