Power Plant Operators
What Power Plant Operators Do
Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.
See full salary breakdown & percentiles →
Career Outlook
National employment outlook, 2024–2034.
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Self-employed
- Not available
Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.
How Much Preparation Does This Take?
Job Zone 2 of 5Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Job training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Source: O*NET Job Zones.
Key Knowledge Areas
Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.
- Mechanicalimportance 4.0/5
- Public Safety and Securityimportance 3.7/5
- English Languageimportance 3.6/5
- Production and Processingimportance 3.4/5
- Chemistryimportance 3.2/5
- Physicsimportance 3.1/5
- Engineering and Technologyimportance 3.0/5
- Designimportance 2.8/5
Work Environment
What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets5.0/5
- E-Mail4.7/5
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
- Exposed to Hazardous Conditions4.6/5
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.6/5
- Contact With Others4.6/5
Careers With Similar Skills
Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.
- Logging Equipment Operators97% skill match
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders97% skill match
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators97% skill match
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders97% skill match
- Gas Plant Operators96% skill match
- Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers96% skill match
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders96% skill match
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic96% skill match
Transferable Skills
Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.
- Operations Monitoringimportance 4.0/5
- Operation and Controlimportance 3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solvingimportance 3.3/5
- Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.1/5
- Coordinationimportance 3.0/5
- Equipment Maintenanceimportance 3.0/5
- Troubleshootingimportance 3.0/5
Software & Technologies
Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.
Hot Technologies
Other Software Used
- Computerized maintenance management system CMMS
- Continuous emissions monitoring systems CEMS
- Distributed control system DCS
- Email software
- Emerson Ovation
- Gas field monitoring system software
- General Electric Mark VI Distributed Control System DCS
- General Electric Mark VI Integrated Control System ICS
Work Style
Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.
- Cautiousness
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Self-Control
- Integrity
- Perseverance
Career Interests
This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.
- RealisticHigh
- ConventionalHigh
- InvestigativeLow
- EnterprisingLow
- SocialLow
- ArtisticLow
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Where This Career Is Most Concentrated
Metro areas where power plant operators make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).
- 1Duluth, MN-WI9.35× national avg
- 2Fairbanks-College, AK8.87× national avg
- 3Bay City, MI8.24× national avg
- 4Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA7.65× national avg
- 5Manhattan, KS7.24× national avg
Possible Career Moves
A computed starting point, not observed job-change data — see the full list for why each one might fit.
- Gas Plant OperatorsLateral Move
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station OperatorsCareer Change
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsLateral Move
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersCareer Change
Related Education Programs
Schools that offer related fields of study, based on the NCES CIP-SOC crosswalk — not a guarantee that graduates enter this specific career.