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How much does a power plant operator make in San Jose?

$98,950a year

Median yearly pay for power plant operators in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area. That is $47.57 an hour or $8,246 a month.

Hourly
$47.57
Vs. national median
-3%
Rank among cities
68 of 113
Jobs in the area
50
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $62,830Median: $98,950Highest 10%: $131,100
PercentileYearlyHourly
10th$62,830$30.21
25th$79,700$38.32
Median$98,950$47.57
75th$127,700$61.38
90th$131,100$63.02

Other cities in California

Median yearly pay for power plant operators.

Fresno, CA$138,900
Sacramento, CA$133,400
San Francisco, CA$132,600
Los Angeles, CA$105,900
San Diego, CA$99,470
Riverside, CA$98,060
Bakersfield, CA$94,760
Power Plant Operator salary in California Power Plant Operator salary in all states

Related jobs in San Jose

Same field, median yearly pay.

Stationary Engineer and Boiler Operator$123,200
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator$108,200
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer$103,000
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Worker$89,970
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setter$74,420
Prepress Technician and Worker$66,670
Jeweler and Precious Stone and Metal Worker$64,740
Welder$64,140
Machinist$63,540
Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender$63,510
Salaries for every job in San Jose, CA

Frequently asked questions

How much does a power plant operator make an hour in San Jose?

The median hourly pay in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro area is $47.57 ($98,950 a year).

Do power plant operators make more in San Jose than the national average?

No: $98,950 against $102,000 nationally, 3% less.

How does San Jose compare with the rest of California?

The median in California is $105,200, so San Jose pays 6% less.

Where does San Jose rank for power plant operator pay?

68 of 113 metro areas with data.

How much does a power plant operator make starting out in San Jose?

The lowest-paid 10% make $62,830 or less a year; the top 10% make $131,100 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.