Plant and System Operators

How to become a Power Plant Operator

Official title: Power Plant Operators

Also called: Auxiliary Operator, Control Operator, Control Room Operator, Multicraft Operator (MCO), Operations and Maintenance Technician (O and M Tech), Plant Control Operator, Plant Operator, Power Plant Operator, Station Operator, Unit Operator

Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

Main tasks

Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
Open and close valves and switches in sequence to start or shut down auxiliary units.
Control or maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors, condensers, feedwater heaters, filters, or chlorinators, to supply water, fuel, lubricants, air, or auxiliary power.

How to become one

Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent to enter the occupation. Once hired, they typically receive extensive on-the-job training. Nuclear power reactor operators also need a license.

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

Apprenticeship: Hydroelectric-Station Operator.
Apprenticeship: Power-Plant Operator.
Apprenticeship: Turbine Operator.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $102,040 a year The middle half earn $79,690 to $119,080.
About 29,800 people work in this job now, and about 28,300 are projected by 2035. (-5.1%)
People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Power Plant Operator?

How much does a Power Plant Operator earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $102,040 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $79,690 to $119,080.

Is a Power Plant Operator a growing career in the US?

Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 29,800 to about 28,300 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Power Plant Operator?

Usually not. Only 22% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Hydroelectric-Station Operator.

Will AI change the work of a Power Plant Operator?

People use generative AI for relatively little of this work so far. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as low.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 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.