Power Plant Operators pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,170 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,620 or more. The middle half of power plant operators in Portland earn between $81,060 and $93,700.
- $65K10th
- $81K25th
- $89KMedian
- $94K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $87,410 | $7,284 | $42.02 |
| Median | $88,520 | $7,377 | $42.56 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $81,060 | $6,755 | $38.97 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $93,700 | $7,808 | $45.05 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Power Plant Operators pay in Portland vs. Maine and the U.S.
Power plant operators in Portland earn 5% more than the Maine average ($83,380) and 12% less than the U.S. average ($99,790). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $102,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $87,410 | $88,520 | $65,170 | $97,620 | 70 |
| Maine | $83,380 | $81,060 | $61,220 | $106,910 | 190 |
| United States | $99,790 | $102,040 | $61,790 | $131,940 | 29,320 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Power Plant Operators salary after taxes in Portland
On the average salary of $87,410, a single filer in Portland takes home about $66,094 a year, or $5,508 a month and $2,542 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Is Portland a good place for power plant operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.9), so the average $87,410 buys what about $85,816 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($56,960). A typical home costs $542,063, or 6.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Power Plant Operators salary in nearby metro areas
- Boston, MA$102,800
- Worcester, MA$95,390
- Providence, RI$96,680
- Burlington, VT$98,350
- Springfield, MA$93,320
- Glens Falls, NY$67,360
Highest-paying cities for power plant operators
Wenatchee, WA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($150,930).
- Wenatchee, WA$150,930
- Sacramento, CA$135,310
- Seattle, WA$132,410
- Fresno, CA$131,280
- San Francisco, CA$130,890
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Power Plant Operators salary in Portland: questions
How much do power plant operators make an hour in Portland?
$42.03 an hour on average, and $42.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level power plant operators salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,170 a year and the 25th percentile is $81,060, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the power plant operators take-home pay in Portland?
About $66,094 a year ($5,508 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $87,410. Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
Do power plant operators earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 12% less 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 Portland-South Portland, ME (38860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- 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 state income tax (2026 rules). Maine's standard deduction phase-out above $102,250 of income is not modelled.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.27, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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