Utility Plant Operator Salary
$28.5K - $33K
3% of jobs
$33K - $37.5K
11% of jobs
$37.5K - $42K
10% of jobs
$42.7K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$42K - $46.5K
12% of jobs
$46.5K - $51K
11% of jobs
The median wage is $52.8K / yr.
$51K - $55.5K
10% of jobs
$55.5K - $60K
11% of jobs
$63.4K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$60K - $64.5K
11% of jobs
$64.5K - $69K
10% of jobs
$69K - $73.5K
7% of jobs
$73.5K - $78K
5% of jobs
$28.5K
$53K
$77.5K
$54,276
/year
$26.09
/hour
Utility Plant Operator Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$54,276
Columbus
Ohio
$52,425
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How much does an Utility Plant Operator make?
As of Aug 23, 2026, the average annual pay for an Utility Plant Operator in the United States is $54,276 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $26.09 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,043/week or $4,523/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $77,500 and as low as $28,500, the majority of Utility Plant Operator salaries currently range between $43,500 (25th percentile) to $64,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $72,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Utility Plant Operator varies greatly (by as much as 20500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
An Utility Plant Operator in your area makes on average $52,425 per year, or $1,851 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $54,276. Ohio ranks number 42 out of 50 states nationwide for Utility Plant Operator salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Utility Plant Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as an Utility Plant Operator on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Utility Plant Operator Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Utility Plant Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Stockton, CA, , with Kentville, NS, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $12,181 (22.4%), and Stockton, CA, furthers that trend with another $12,515 (23.1%) above the $54,276 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Utility Plant Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 2% between Stockton, CA, and Victoria, BC, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Utility Plant Operator role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Stockton, CA | $66,791 | $32.11 |
Kentville, NS | $66,655 | $32.05 |
Berkeley, CA | $66,457 | $31.95 |
Whitehorse, YT | $66,231 | $31.84 |
Carcross, YT | $66,192 | $31.82 |
Atqasuk, AK | $66,089 | $31.77 |
Duncan, BC | $65,519 | $31.50 |
North Slope, AK | $65,187 | $31.34 |
Point Lay, AK | $65,146 | $31.32 |
Victoria, BC | $65,123 | $31.31 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Utility Plant Operator Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Utility Plant Operator category.
For example Concrete Batch Plant Operator jobs pay as much as $8,181 (15.1%) more than the average Utility Plant Operator salary of $54,276. If you're qualified, finding work as an Concrete Batch Plant Operator may help you make more money than that of the average Utility Plant Operator position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Concrete Batch Plant Operator | $62,457 | $30.03 |
Water Plant Operator Trainee | $57,354 | $27.57 |
Blast Operator | $56,952 | $27.38 |
Plant Maintenance | $51,708 | $24.86 |
Production Line Operator | $36,061 | $17.34 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
