Power Plant Operators pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $71,240 a year or less, while the top 10% make $119,080 or more. The middle half of power plant operators in Nashville earn between $95,800 and $115,920.
- $71K10th
- $96K25th
- $105KMedian
- $116K75th
- $119K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $100,710 | $8,392 | $48.42 |
| Median | $105,370 | $8,781 | $50.66 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $95,800 | $7,983 | $46.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $115,920 | $9,660 | $55.73 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Power Plant Operators pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Power plant operators in Nashville earn 8% less than the Tennessee average ($108,900) and about the same as the U.S. average ($99,790). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $102,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $100,710 | $105,370 | $71,240 | $119,080 | 80 |
| Tennessee | $108,900 | $115,920 | $68,060 | $125,690 | 490 |
| 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 Nashville
On the average salary of $100,710, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $79,679 a year, or $6,640 a month and $3,065 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for power plant operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $100,710 buys what about $104,538 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Power Plant Operators salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 3rd of 4 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Knoxville pays the most ($111,850).
- Knoxville$111,850
- Memphis$104,310
- Nashville$100,710
- Chattanooga$100,110
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 Nashville: questions
How much do power plant operators make an hour in Nashville?
$48.42 an hour on average, and $50.66 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level power plant operators salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $71,240 a year and the 25th percentile is $95,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the power plant operators take-home pay in Nashville?
About $79,679 a year ($6,640 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $100,710. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do power plant operators earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.3%.
- 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 0.40, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.40).
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