Biomass Plant Technicians
Control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-8013.03 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
BLS doesn't publish wages for Biomass Plant Technicians separately. These are the figures for Power Plant Operators (51-8013), its parent occupation.
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 | Biofuels Processing Technicians | 1-2 | 0.979 |
| 2 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | 3 | 0.977 |
| 3 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 1-2 | 0.976 |
| 4 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 1-2 | 0.973 |
| 5 | Chemical Plant and System Operators | 1-2 | 0.972 |
| 6 | Power Plant Operators | 1-2 | 0.971 |
| 7 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.970 |
| 8 | Geothermal Technicians | 1-2 | 0.969 |
| 9 | Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 1-2 | 0.968 |
| 10 | Gas Plant Operators | 1-2 | 0.966 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Biomass Plant Technicians, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | Quality Control Analysis | 0.88 | 0.958 |
| Wellhead Pumpers | Repairing | 0.87 | 0.952 |
| Boilermakers | Equipment Selection | 0.88 | 0.952 |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | Management of Personnel Resources | 1.00 | 0.946 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Biomass Plant Technicians, excluding software Biomass Plant Technicians 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Computerized maintenance management system CMMS | 7 of 20 | 10.8x |
| Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software | 7 of 20 | 5.2x |
| Operational databases | 3 of 20 | 11.5x |
| SAP software | 11 of 20 | 1.8x |
| Email software | 6 of 20 | 1.0x |
| Microsoft Access | 3 of 20 | 0.4x |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 10 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Web browser software | 3 of 20 | 0.3x |
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 | 3.88 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.50 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.25 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Science | Essential skill | 2.25 | 1.62 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.25 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.75 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 3.92 | 4.45 |
| Chemistry | 3.44 | 4.42 |
| English Language | 3.28 | 2.70 |
| Production and Processing | 3.27 | 3.53 |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.13 | 3.29 |
| Education and Training | 3.09 | 4.15 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.03 | 3.26 |
| Mathematics | 2.87 | 3.39 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.83 | 3.29 |
| Administration and Management | 2.68 | 2.88 |
| Physics | 2.65 | 3.18 |
| Administrative | 2.49 | 2.26 |
| Law and Government | 2.46 | 2.44 |
| Building and Construction | 2.42 | 2.71 |
| Design | 2.33 | 2.38 |
| Telecommunications | 2.25 | 1.87 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.11 | 1.94 |
| Transportation | 2.10 | 1.98 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 1.97 | 2.05 |
| Communications and Media | 1.93 | 1.66 |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.92 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.92 | 1.71 |
| Psychology | 1.91 | 1.49 |
| Geography | 1.54 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.50 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.44 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.39 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.23 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.19 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.07 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.03 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Control Precision | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Information Ordering | 3.38 | 3.38 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.25 | 3.75 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Reaction Time | 3.25 | 3.38 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Selective Attention | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Far Vision | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Rate Control | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Visualization | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.62 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Oral Expression | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Written Expression | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Time Sharing | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Auditory Attention | 3.00 | 2.25 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Speech Recognition | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Depth Perception | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Static Strength | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Originality | 2.75 | 2.12 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.75 | 2.00 |
| Memorization | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.38 | 2.62 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.38 | 2.38 |
| Number Facility | 2.25 | 2.50 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Stamina | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Sound Localization | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Night Vision | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.50 | 0.75 |
| 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 hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- Distributed control system DCS
- Energy analysis software
- Inventory control software
- National Instruments LabVIEW
Where it concentrates
BLS doesn't publish wages for Biomass Plant Technicians separately. These are the figures for Power Plant Operators (51-8013), its parent occupation.
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 |