SOC 51-8013 · Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro

Power Plant Operators Salary in Lakeland, FL

The average salary for power plant operators in Lakeland, Florida is $108,370 a year ($52.10 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $106,540: half of the 100 people in this job in the Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($99,790).

$108,370average per year

$52.10 / hourMedian $106,540Take-home ≈ $85,068

  • $84K10th
  • $90K25th
  • $107KMedian
  • $131K75th
  • $135K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

100people in this job
+9%vs U.S. average
#1 of 8Florida metros
97cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Power Plant Operators pay range in Lakeland

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $83,950 a year or less, while the top 10% make $135,080 or more. The middle half of power plant operators in Lakeland earn between $89,950 and $130,840.

  • $84K10th
  • $90K25th
  • $107KMedian
  • $131K75th
  • $135K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$108,370$9,031$52.10
Median$106,540$8,878$51.22
Entry level (25th percentile)$89,950$7,496$43.25
Experienced (75th percentile)$130,840$10,903$62.90

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Power Plant Operators pay in Lakeland vs. Florida and the U.S.

Power plant operators in Lakeland earn 21% more than the Florida average ($89,890) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($99,790). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $102,040.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Lakeland$108,370$106,540$83,950$135,080100
Florida$89,890$94,290$47,840$126,3301,640
United States$99,790$102,040$61,790$131,94029,320

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Power Plant Operators salary after taxes in Lakeland

On the average salary of $108,370, a single filer in Lakeland takes home about $85,068 a year, or $7,089 a month and $3,272 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

Florida paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Lakeland a good place for power plant operators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Lakeland area are 3% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.1), so the average $108,370 buys what about $111,559 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Lakeland ($46,140). A typical home costs $298,816, or 2.8 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $108,370 is worth in another city

Power Plant Operators salary in other Florida cities

Lakeland ranks 1st of 8 Florida metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Power Plant Operators salaries in Florida

Highest-paying cities for power plant operators

Wenatchee, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($150,930).

Power Plant Operators salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Power Plant Operators in Lakeland, FL.

Power Plant Operators salary in Lakeland: questions

How much do power plant operators make an hour in Lakeland?

$52.10 an hour on average, and $51.22 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level power plant operators salary in Lakeland?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $83,950 a year and the 25th percentile is $89,950, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the power plant operators take-home pay in Lakeland?

About $85,068 a year ($7,089 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $108,370. Florida has no state income tax.

Do power plant operators earn more in Lakeland than elsewhere?

The average here is 9% more than the U.S. average for this job ($99,790).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-8013; area Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL (29460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 2.07, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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