An official website of Washington State government
Power Plant Operators
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
What a power plant operator does
Become a power plant operator
If you enjoy doing these activities, you might make a good power plant operator
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
- Talking to others.
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
Discover what you could earn in Washington
- Typical hourly rate is $74 per hour with a typical salary of $172,300 per year.
- Half of workers earn between $44 and $89 per hour.
- Half of workers earn an annual salary between $78,700 and $205,900 per year.
- 74% of individuals in this occupation have been employed in every quarter of the past year.
Part-time
- The typical hourly rate for part-time workers is $58 per hour with a typical salary of $35,400 per year.
- 7.8% of individuals in this occupation worked part-time during the past year.
Power Plant Operator job outlook
- There are 368 workers in this occupation in Washington.
- There are 36 openings per year in this occupation in Washington.
Multiple Jobs
- 8% of individuals in this occupation held a position in another.