The average salary for a power plant operator in California is around $105,210 per year.
Avg Salary
Power plant operators earn an average yearly salary of $105,210.
Wages typically start from $63,510 and go up to $171,800.
36% above national average Updated in 2025
Power plant operator earnings by seniority
Top-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$82.60 per hour
$171,800 per year
Senior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$63.75 per hour
$132,600 per year
Mid-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$50.58 per hour
$105,210 per year
Junior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$38.59 per hour
$80,270 per year
Starting level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$30.54 per hour
$63,510 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Power plant operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $99,200 |
| Nebraska | $98,210 |
| Rhode Island | $98,050 |
| Arkansas | $97,760 |
| Connecticut | $97,460 |
| West Virginia | $97,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $95,800 |
| Minnesota | $94,390 |
| Florida | $94,290 |
| Kentucky | $93,400 |
| Alaska | $88,870 |
| Oklahoma | $88,590 |
| Arizona | $84,970 |
| New Hampshire | $81,070 |
| Maine | $81,060 |
| South Dakota | $80,310 |
| Kansas | $79,980 |
| South Carolina | $79,900 |
| Vermont | $78,240 |
| Virginia | $73,640 |
| Wisconsin | $66,080 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,290 |
| Washington | $131,620 |
| Nevada | $131,400 |
| New Jersey | $131,370 |
| Idaho | $124,440 |
| North Dakota | $122,160 |
| Hawaii | $121,700 |
| Tennessee | $115,920 |
| Maryland | $111,260 |
| Oregon | $109,830 |
| North Carolina | $108,300 |
| Georgia | $107,580 |
| Utah | $107,120 |
| Alabama | $107,080 |
| Indiana | $107,000 |
| New York | $106,990 |
| Montana | $106,040 |
| Michigan | $105,820 |
| New Mexico | $105,510 |
| California | $105,210 |
| Illinois | $104,440 |
| Ohio | $104,160 |
| Delaware | $103,010 |
| Colorado | $102,780 |
| Texas | $102,510 |
| Mississippi | $102,400 |
| Missouri | $101,900 |
| Louisiana | $101,170 |
| Iowa | $100,500 |
| Massachusetts | $100,140 |
How do power plant operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Power plant operators earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than biomass power plant managers but more than commercial divers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomass power plant manager salary | $133K |
| Elevator mechanic salary | $141K |
| Boilermaker salary | $118K |
| Power plant operator salary | $105K |
| Operations research analyst salary | $102K |
| Industrial designer salary | $101K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $103K |
| Commercial diver salary | $102K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)