Power Plant Operator Salary in Sector of Manufacturing

The salary statistics of power plant operators in the industry sector of manufacturing are shown in Table 1. In Table 2 we compare power plant operator salaries in different industries within the manufacturing sector.

Average Annual Salary of Power Plant Operators

Percentile BracketAverage Annual Salary
10th Percentile Wage
$40,830
25th Percentile Wage
$49,680
50th Percentile Wage
$61,380
75th Percentile Wage
$77,820
90th Percentile Wage
$95,040

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for power plant operators in the industry sector of manufacturing. The salaries are shown in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) power plant operators is $95,040. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $61,380. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent paid power plant operators is $40,830.

Salary Trend (2012 to 2017)

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of power plant operators in the industry sector of manufacturing from 2012 to 2017.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth5-Year Growth
2017
$61,380
-1.81% 7.20%
2016
$62,490
4.64% -
2015
$59,590
-0.97% -
2014
$60,170
3.76% -
2013
$57,910
1.64% -
2012
$56,960
- -

Compare Power Plant Operator Salary in Different Industries within the Manufacturing Sector

The average salaries of power plant operators in 15 industries in the manufacturing sector are shown below. We note that within this industry sector, the salaries vary among different industries. The highest paying industry for power plant operator occupations is the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry with an annual salary $68,890. The lowest paying industry is the wood product manufacturing industry (annual salary $46,400). For detailed power plant operator salary information in a particular industry, use the links provided below.

Industry Name Median Annual Salary
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
$68,890
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing
$66,990
Paper Manufacturing
$62,110
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
$61,270
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills
$61,260
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
$60,640
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing
$60,010
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing
$60,010
Food Manufacturing
$58,300
Rubber Product Manufacturing
$57,990
Chemical Manufacturing
$57,110
Basic Chemical Manufacturing
$53,090
Primary Metal Manufacturing
$51,860
Sawmills and Wood Preservation
$48,190
Wood Product Manufacturing
$46,400

Data source: The national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2017 and published in April 2018 [1].