25 of the Highest Paying Utility Worker Jobs in 2026

The best Utility Worker jobs can pay up to $138,000 per year.

High Paying Utility Worker Jobs

• Power System Dispatcher

  Salary range: $104,000 - $138,000

  A power system dispatcher directs the distribution of electricity between providers and consumers, both residential and commercial. As a power system dispatcher, you monitor generator systems to ensure optimal efficiency and determine how much power is needed for each day. Discretion is particularly vital during extreme weather conditions, such as heat waves or snowstorms. Other job duties include responding to calls of shortages or repairs and coordinating crews out to the location to fix the problem.

• Power Engineer

  Salary range: $46,500 - $133,500

  Power engineers monitor power and utility systems in an industrial or commercial facility. As a power engineer, your duties include following all processes, performing equipment repairs and maintenance, and adhering to safe operating procedures. You are in charge of the facility’s entire electrical grid, including the lighting, air conditioning, water treatment, and all other power generation systems. To ensure the smooth operation of your facility’s boiler systems, electrical systems, and other systems of power transmission, you communicate and work closely with the other engineers in your company.

• Power Plant Manager

  Salary range: $87,000 - $132,000

  A power plant manager supervises the operations of a power plant and monitors workers to keep a steady stream of electricity flowing to homes and businesses. As a power plant manager, you check that all equipment in the facility is up-to-date and performing to government and industry standards. You also ensure that the plant meets energy production needs while staying within a set budget. On occasion, you may have to oversee the repairs and installation of equipment. Additionally, your responsibilities include verifying that every employee is working according to the standards set forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In keeping with these duties, you report and record any safety violations and the actions taken to correct them.

• Substation Engineer

  Salary range: $98,500 - $125,500

  Substation engineers create design plans for power substations and collaborate with the project team and other stakeholders to finalize schematics. As a substation engineer, your job duties include generating design drawings and documents, determining the appropriate size and type of cables and conduits for each substation, facilitating tasks using engineering application software, and coordinating efforts with team members. The qualifications for a career as a substation engineer are a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, several years of experience in electrical engineering jobs, and excellent problem-solving skills.

• Power Plant Operator

  Salary range: $62,500 - $122,000

  As a power plant operator, your duties are to operate and maintain equipment that generates power and regulate these generators to control the output and storage of energy. You also manage the proper flow of electricity and voltage based on consumer demands. At a nuclear power plant, for example, you adjust control rods which generate power, and monitor the reactors, wind turbines, and cooling systems to ensure they operate within specified parameters. At a solar installation, your responsibilities are to monitor heat transfer and position and adjust solar panels or mirrors based on meteorological conditions.

• Water Superintendent

  Salary range: $68,500 - $121,000

  A water superintendent is a vital part of the water treatment process. In this career, you are in charge of the process by which water enters the municipality’s treatment plants. Your responsibilities are to create and oversee the plans that provide water to a town or city’s treatment centers from wells, lakes, and rivers. Additional job duties include maintaining the sewage system for the municipality. Water superintendent is a supervisory position, so you manage a staff proportional to the size of their area. Small towns may have a team of only a couple people, while larger cities may have a sizable staff. You may also handle public reports and press releases for the city’s water system.

• Utility Engineer

  Salary range: $71,500 - $118,500

  A utility engineer is a civil engineer who works for a utility company, such as a water, gas, or electric company. Their job duties are to design, implement, and maintain utility infrastructures, such as water or gas mains, electrical grids, and other types of delivery systems. Qualifications for a utility engineer include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil engineering or a related field of engineering and experience. Professional certification is available. Problem-solving and leadership skills are important in this career.

• Nuclear Engineer

  Salary range: $98,500 - $118,000

  As a nuclear engineer, you work in a nuclear power facility or research facility to design instruments and processes that make it easier to draw energy from nuclear material. You may also come up with new reactor designs that use different types of materials. A nuclear engineer does not always work on equipment for power plants; sometimes you work to create technology like new medical measuring devices. A nuclear engineer can also work on propulsion systems like those in nuclear-powered military vessels.

• Journeyman Lineman

  Salary range: $59,500 - $110,500

  A journeyman lineman builds and maintains the electrical power system. This is an advanced position that requires several years of experience in the field. In this career, you construct, maintain, and repair electrical distribution and transmission systems, both above and below ground. Your duties require you to be able to lift up to 50 pounds and be comfortable working at heights up to 60 feet, as you climb poles and lift equipment regularly. Responsibilities include operating aerial and excavation equipment, troubleshooting system problems, setting transformers, and more. Documentation and detailed reports are necessary. You may also train apprentices. Qualifications include apprenticeship completion, a Department of Labor Journeyman certification, a high school diploma, and the ability to work in various weather conditions.

• Hydroelectric Plant Operator

  Salary range: $64,500 - $109,000

  A hydroelectric plant operator controls and maintains the equipment that creates electricity in a hydroelectric power plant. Your duties are also to monitor operations and regulate the flow of electricity out of the plant. Inside the plant, operators observe the flow of water through turbines. The moving water turns these turbines to generate electricity. In addition to monitoring operations, controlling the flow of power, and performing scheduled maintenance and equipment tests, you also troubleshoot when equipment malfunctions or other issues arise. In such situations, you diagnose problems, make repairs, and coordinate with other technicians if necessary.

• Electric Meter Reader

  Salary range: $65,000 - $109,000

  As an electric meter reader, you are responsibilities involve reading utility meters and recording usage at residences and commercial buildings. You inspect meters to ensure they are not damaged, note defects or irregularities, and verify kWh readings. You walk or drive to each location and enter data into a database. You may connect or disconnect power services at specific locations. Your duties as an electric meter reader may also include collecting past-due payments, answering customer questions, updating client information, and leaving messages to clients to schedule meter reading date and time. You are also responsible for reporting meter reading issues to service departments.

• Water Resource Engineer

  Salary range: $79,000 - $108,000

  A water resource engineer is a civil engineer who oversees the construction and implementation of new equipment and systems for a water plant. They are responsible for plant management, new equipment design and maintenance of the various systems that clean and treat our water supplies. They are in charge of virtually every aspect of how a water resource plant functions and they also manage natural resources like underground springs or a well. Their job responsibilities also include ensuring compliance with government regulations and budget management. Additional skills necessary for success include planning, interpersonal and communication skills.

• Nuclear Technician

  Salary range: $67,500 - $107,000

  A nuclear technician operates equipment and machinery in a nuclear facility or nuclear power plant. As a nuclear technician, you work around radiation on a daily basis and need to be well-trained in safe operations and radiation protection. For this career, safety is key. Some of your job duties include monitoring of equipment to make sure it is functioning properly, maintenance of equipment, and installation of new equipment. You may also be involved with technology research projects that are being conducted at the nuclear power plant.

• Energy Efficiency Engineer

  Salary range: $92,000 - $104,000

  As an energy efficiency engineer, your job is to provide technical expertise and help with the development of energy-saving plans for customers in industrial, commercial, and residential areas. The most important part of this is determining the best way to improve the efficiency of your client's energy systems. As part of this, you audit their use of electricity, calculate the most efficient way to power something, and use modeling software to see if solar panels make sense for a particular structure. Most clients want to see savings on their energy bills, so while helping them achieve those savings, you also recommend other ways to go green, such as installing Energy Star-compliant equipment.

• Energy Management Specialist

  Salary range: $69,000 - $100,000

  As an energy management specialist, you are in charge of utility management programs for a business or organization. Your primary responsibilities are to oversee installation and manage the consumption of electricity, recycling, water, natural gas, and trash. You maintain records and data, promote programs that encourage efficiency and renewable energy, initiate changes to improve current use, and assist with the planning of new construction projects. Your duties have you handling administrative and financial work as well. You negotiate on the purchase of utilities and make recommendations to ensure materials and equipment are up to standard.

• Stationary Engineer

  Salary range: $59,500 - $92,500

  As a stationary engineer, you are in charge of the stationary motors, boilers, turbines, ventilation, air conditioning and heating systems for large facilities. Your responsibilities include checking the system pressure and water levels and performing general maintenance, such as replacing worn parts with new ones before they become a problem. The duties of a stationary engineer may vary somewhat depending on where they work. Some examples of facilities that hire stationary engineers are hotels, malls, factories, and warehouses.

• Power Distributor

  Salary range: $34,500 - $88,500

  A power distributor controls systems that direct and generate power. Daily duties include operating, maintaining, and regulating electrical equipment that produces electricity. As a power distributor, you need to monitor power usage and determine when to release more to generating stations. Climate, such as heat spells or extreme cold, affect usage, so you need to know how much use to expect on average days and with severe weather. You are also responsible for switching off power to damaged power lines so that they can be repaired.

• Wind Turbine Engineer

  Salary range: $82,500 - $87,500

  As a wind turbine engineer, you work on wind farm installations to create schematics for the turbines and design layouts for the wind farm’s mechanical operations. You also study the local environment to identify infrastructure that supports the wind farm’s operations within the relevant licensure. Depending upon your qualifications, you might also focus on hardware and other renewable energy technology by designing, testing, and ordering blades, energy production systems, and electrical systems. Other duties and responsibilities may differ based on your specialized skills and the variety of tasks involved in designing these systems.

• Water Quality Specialist

  Salary range: $51,500 - $84,000

  As a water quality specialist, your responsibilities are to help ensure public safety by testing environmental sources of water and checking for potential issues. Most water quality specialist jobs are governmental roles associated with waterways that part of the government manages, but some companies and research institutions also hire private water quality specialists. Your duties typically involve traveling to different water access points, performing on-site testing, recording results, and alerting the appropriate entities to any problems you detect. Most water quality specialists work regular hours, but employers may occasionally call you in to check suspected outbreaks of disease.

• Distribution System Operator

  Salary range: $45,000 - $68,000

  A distribution system operator, or DSO, coordinates the distribution system for a product or good. An electric distribution system operator distributes energy resources, but system distribution operators also work in fields related to water, utilities, and fuel. You monitor system operations, maintain the distribution system, and document any issues or problems. You ensure the electric grid works through various problems and weather conditions. If you work in gas distribution, you oversee the transport of natural gas through pipeline networks and to customers. Your responsibilities and duties include troubleshooting and repairing the distribution system and creating recovery and emergency contingency plans.

• Wind Turbine Technician

  Salary range: $46,500 - $59,500

  A wind turbine is used to convert wind energy into electrical energy. A wind turbine technician, or windtech, performs maintenance on wind turbines to ensure that they function correctly. In addition to installing, repairing, and maintaining wind turbines, they may collect data for energy research. They also perform preventative maintenance to reduce the risk of wind turbine failure. In some cases, wind turbine technicians contract their services out to government agencies, such as the United States Department of Energy, to safely deliver energy services.

• Pipeline Operator

  Salary range: $43,500 - $59,000

  Pipeline operators are responsible for the control of the flow of oil, gas, and other materials sent through pipelines at a power plant or refinery. Their duties include monitoring the instruments and regulating the pumps within the refinery or plant, as well as conducting routine maintenance and inspections of the pipeline and pipeline systems. Senior pipeline operators may train new employees on policies, procedures, and other responsibilities.

• Energy Auditor

  Salary range: $40,500 - $57,500

  A career that supports environmental sustainability, an energy auditor closely monitors and inspects client property for energy consumption and waste. Because tracking information on energy consumption leads to awareness and response, energy auditors play a vital role in more efficient and sustainable energy usage practices. A career as an energy auditor requires you have some formal qualifications and education, typically a bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction, or a field with coursework closely related to green energy and conservation. You should have strong communications skills, thorough knowledge of regulatory requirements, and the ability to stoop, crawl, and enter confined spaces as part of your job duties.

• Gas Technician

  Salary range: $40,500 - $56,500

  Gas technicians service and maintain residential and commercial gas appliances and systems. They repair any issues they encounter, such as gas leaks or other problems related to gas pumps, pipes, or systems, and accurately document all the repairs. A gas technician tests safety devices, checks for gas leaks, and inspects and fixes a variety of appliances, such as ovens, water heaters, boilers and furnaces, and central heating systems. Some technicians also assist in the installation of new gas lines.

• Plant Technician

  Salary range: $37,500 - $56,000

  A plant technician maintains and repairs equipment at industrial plants and large buildings. In this role, you set up machinery, install cables and wiring according to specifications, and troubleshoot electrical and mechanical equipment. These systems may include voice and communication lines. Depending on the type of building you work in, you may also be responsible for operating boilers, generators, and power systems and performing any necessary repairs. Plant technicians are sometimes called in during nights and weekends to complete emergency repairs. Your primary goal is to ensure that all power and communication lines work well and that the equipment is operating safely and efficiently.