Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
Monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation. Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, and battery banks. Monitor equipment operation and performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance. Perform equipment maintenance and repair as necessary.
- O*NET-SOC code
51-8013.04 - Preparation Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Wages
BLS doesn't publish wages for Hydroelectric Plant Technicians separately. These are the figures for Power Plant Operators (51-8013), its parent occupation.
| 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.
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Hydroelectric 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers | Installation | 1.25 | 0.957 |
| Ship Engineers | Critical Thinking | 0.76 | 0.953 |
| Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians | Installation | 1.37 | 0.947 |
| Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | Installation | 1.13 | 0.940 |
| Carpenters | Coordination | 0.88 | 0.934 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Hydroelectric Plant Technicians, excluding software Hydroelectric 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 |
|---|---|---|
| SAP software | 13 of 20 | 2.1x |
| Data logging software | 3 of 20 | 19.8x |
| IBM Maximo Asset Management | 3 of 20 | 17.3x |
| Work scheduling software | 3 of 20 | 5.5x |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | 7 of 20 | 1.9x |
| Geographic information system GIS systems | 3 of 20 | 2.3x |
| IBM Notes | 3 of 20 | 1.3x |
| Database software | 4 of 20 | 1.1x |
| Microsoft Project | 4 of 20 | 0.9x |
| Microsoft Windows | 4 of 20 | 0.8x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.88 | 3.12 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 3.50 | 3.75 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 3.25 | 3.62 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.25 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Science | Essential skill | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.75 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.25 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.25 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 1.25 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | 4.86 | 5.84 |
| Public Safety and Security | 4.33 | 4.59 |
| Mathematics | 4.29 | 4.52 |
| Engineering and Technology | 4.11 | 5.11 |
| Education and Training | 3.96 | 4.78 |
| Design | 3.90 | 4.42 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.89 | 4.53 |
| English Language | 3.89 | 3.59 |
| Physics | 3.81 | 4.33 |
| Building and Construction | 3.77 | 4.39 |
| Administration and Management | 3.59 | 3.66 |
| Production and Processing | 3.56 | 3.93 |
| Law and Government | 3.53 | 3.59 |
| Transportation | 3.41 | 3.49 |
| Administrative | 3.32 | 4.02 |
| Telecommunications | 3.32 | 3.20 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.02 | 3.81 |
| Geography | 2.79 | 2.96 |
| Chemistry | 2.75 | 3.59 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 2.73 | 2.95 |
| Communications and Media | 2.43 | 2.02 |
| Psychology | 2.36 | 1.76 |
| Economics and Accounting | 2.30 | 1.25 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2.26 | 1.36 |
| Biology | 2.22 | 2.39 |
| History and Archeology | 2.12 | 1.59 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 2.04 | 1.06 |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.90 | 1.11 |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.80 | 1.15 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.58 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.49 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.22 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.09 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Near Vision | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Information Ordering | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Control Precision | 3.75 | 3.50 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.62 | 4.00 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.62 | 3.62 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Selective Attention | 3.50 | 3.50 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.38 | 3.88 |
| Oral Expression | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Visualization | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.25 | 3.50 |
| Far Vision | 3.25 | 3.25 |
| Extent Flexibility | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Written Expression | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Number Facility | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Sharing | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.75 | 3.38 |
| Reaction Time | 2.75 | 3.25 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Memorization | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Static Strength | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Depth Perception | 2.62 | 2.50 |
| Originality | 2.50 | 2.88 |
| Response Orientation | 2.50 | 2.75 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.50 | 2.62 |
| Stamina | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Rate Control | 2.25 | 2.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Glare Sensitivity | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Sound Localization | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Spatial Orientation | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.12 | 2.00 |
| Peripheral Vision | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Night Vision | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.25 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.12 | 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
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Distributed control system DCS
- IBM Lotus Notes
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- Web browser software
Where it concentrates
BLS doesn't publish wages for Hydroelectric 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 |