The average salary for a power plant operator in Illinois is around $104,440 per year.
Avg Salary
Power plant operators earn an average yearly salary of $104,440.
Wages typically start from $77,330 and go up to $128,040.
43% above national average Updated in 2025
Power plant operator earnings by seniority
Top-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$61.56 per hour
$128,040 per year
Senior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$57.88 per hour
$120,390 per year
Mid-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$50.21 per hour
$104,440 per year
Junior-level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$44.79 per hour
$93,150 per year
Starting level power plant operator earnings begin at:
$37.18 per hour
$77,330 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 Illinois. On average, they make less than biomass power plant managers but more than logisticians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Biomass power plant manager salary | $127K |
| Elevator mechanic salary | $134K |
| Operations research analyst salary | $90K |
| Power plant operator salary | $104K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $98K |
| Boilermaker salary | $100K |
| Aircraft mechanic salary | $82K |
| Logistician salary | $80K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)