Power Plant Operators
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-8013.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$102,040
Employment, U.S.29,320
Median hourly wage$49.06
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $61,790 | $79,690 | $102,040 | $119,080 | $131,940 |
By state (49)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 790 | $107,080 | 1.99 |
| Alaska | 650 | $88,870 | 10.60 |
| Arizona | 390 | $84,970 | 0.64 |
| Arkansas | 220 | $97,760 | 0.89 |
| California | 2,610 | $105,210 | 0.76 |
| Colorado | 250 | $102,780 | 0.46 |
| Connecticut | 250 | $97,460 | 0.78 |
| Delaware | 80 | $103,010 | 0.86 |
| Florida | 1,640 | $94,290 | 0.88 |
| Georgia | 590 | $107,580 | 0.64 |
| Hawaii | 290 | $121,700 | 2.43 |
| Idaho | 310 | $124,440 | 1.90 |
| Illinois | 1,160 | $104,440 | 1.01 |
| Indiana | 1,190 | $107,000 | 1.97 |
| Iowa | 470 | $100,500 | 1.61 |
| Kansas | 520 | $79,980 | 1.92 |
| Kentucky | 690 | $93,400 | 1.83 |
| Louisiana | 370 | $101,170 | 1.01 |
| Maine | 190 | $81,060 | 1.59 |
| Maryland | 330 | $111,260 | 0.64 |
| Massachusetts | 880 | $100,140 | 1.29 |
| Michigan | 1,220 | $105,820 | 1.47 |
| Minnesota | 970 | $94,390 | 1.75 |
| Mississippi | 450 | $102,400 | 2.05 |
| Missouri | $101,900 | ||
| Montana | 130 | $106,040 | 1.32 |
| Nebraska | 360 | $98,210 | 1.89 |
| Nevada | 250 | $131,400 | 0.86 |
| New Hampshire | 90 | $81,070 | 0.72 |
| New Jersey | 300 | $131,370 | 0.37 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $105,510 | 0.77 |
| New York | 1,960 | $106,990 | 1.07 |
| North Carolina | 420 | $108,300 | 0.45 |
| North Dakota | 150 | $122,160 | 1.89 |
| Ohio | 730 | $104,160 | 0.70 |
| Oklahoma | 520 | $88,590 | 1.63 |
| Oregon | 250 | $109,830 | 0.66 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,010 | $95,800 | 0.89 |
| Rhode Island | 50 | $98,050 | 0.56 |
| South Carolina | 680 | $79,900 | 1.56 |
| Tennessee | 490 | $115,920 | 0.80 |
| Texas | 2,100 | $102,510 | 0.79 |
| Utah | 420 | $107,120 | 1.27 |
| Vermont | 140 | $78,240 | 2.41 |
| Virginia | 590 | $73,640 | 0.76 |
| Washington | 430 | $131,620 | 0.65 |
| West Virginia | 170 | $97,210 | 1.28 |
| Wisconsin | 420 | $66,080 | 0.76 |
| Wyoming | 230 | $99,200 | 4.38 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | 3 | 0.973 |
| 2 | Biomass Plant Technicians | 1-2 | 0.971 |
| 3 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | 1-2 | 0.968 |
| 4 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 1-2 | 0.967 |
| 5 | Biofuels Processing Technicians | 1-2 | 0.964 |
| 6 | Ship Engineers | 3 | 0.961 |
| 7 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.958 |
| 8 | Nuclear Technicians | 3 | 0.958 |
| 9 | Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.958 |
| 10 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 1-2 | 0.956 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Power Plant Operators, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomass Plant Technicians | Learning Strategies | 1.00 | 0.971 |
| Geothermal Technicians | Installation | 2.50 | 0.955 |
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Quality Control Analysis | 0.76 | 0.946 |
| Boilermakers | Equipment Selection | 0.88 | 0.943 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Power Plant Operators, excluding software Power Plant Operators already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Operational databases | 3 of 20 | 11.5x |
| Database software | 3 of 20 | 0.8x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.50 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Science | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.62 |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 3.98 | 4.79 |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.69 | 3.47 |
| English Language | 3.62 | 3.55 |
| Production and Processing | 3.40 | 3.48 |
| Chemistry | 3.24 | 3.78 |
| Physics | 3.07 | 3.42 |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.00 | 2.80 |
| Design | 2.84 | 2.08 |
| Education and Training | 2.79 | 3.35 |
| Administration and Management | 2.75 | 2.09 |
| Telecommunications | 2.60 | 1.42 |
| Computers and Electronics | 2.44 | 2.72 |
| Law and Government | 2.41 | 1.98 |
| Mathematics | 2.34 | 2.05 |
| Administrative | 2.33 | not rated |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.08 | 1.65 |
| Building and Construction | 2.02 | 1.84 |
| Transportation | 2.01 | 1.37 |
| Psychology | 1.86 | 1.43 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 1.79 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.70 | 1.02 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.67 | 0.66 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.59 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.55 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.45 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.44 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.39 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.38 | not rated |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.32 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.32 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.25 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.25 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.88 | 3.62 |
| Near Vision | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Oral Expression | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.25 | 3.88 |
| Information Ordering | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Selective Attention | 3.12 | 3.62 |
| Far Vision | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Reaction Time | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Auditory Attention | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Control Precision | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Sharing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Written Expression | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Visualization | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Rate Control | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Originality | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Depth Perception | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Memorization | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Number Facility | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Stamina | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Sound Localization | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Static Strength | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Night Vision | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.00 | 1.00 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.75 | 1.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.62 | 1.00 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Microsoft Outlook in demand
- Microsoft PowerPoint in demand
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAP software hot
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Continuous emissions monitoring systems CEMS
- Distributed control system DCS
- Email software
- Emerson Ovation
- Gas field monitoring system software
- General Electric Mark VI Distributed Control System DCS
- General Electric Mark VI Integrated Control System ICS
- Interlock shutdown systems
- Landfill gas analysis software
- Landtec System Software LFG Pro
- Operational Data Store ODS software
- Safety instrumented system SIS software
- Siemens Power Plant Automation SPPA
- Siemens Teleperm
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Teknik Segala OSI Plant Information PI System
- Web browser software
- Yokogawa FAST/TOOLS
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth, MN-WI | 220 | 9.35 | $94,390 |
| Longview, TX | 120 | 5.53 | $100,180 |
| Syracuse, NY | 290 | 5.20 | $97,300 |
| Anchorage, AK | 150 | 4.40 | $96,630 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 110 | 3.72 | $104,190 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 200 | 3.18 | $94,760 |
| Birmingham, AL | 280 | 2.84 | $106,990 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 100 | 2.07 | $106,540 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 150 | 2.05 | $79,900 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 170 | 1.97 | $122,020 |