Power Plant Operators Salary in Hickory, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $96,900 -2.8% vs national
Median hourly $46.59
10th percentile $63,510
90th percentile $125,890
Employed locally 40
National median $99,670

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Power Plant Operators
in
Hickory, NC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $63,510
    25th
    $86,860
    50th (median)
    $96,900
    75th
    $125,890
    90th
    $125,890

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Power Plant Operators salary vs area income 161% Median Power Plant Operators salary is 61% above the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Power Plant Operators

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $156,260
    Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA $140,800
    Fresno, CA $136,640
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $136,300
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $133,460
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $128,340

    Nearby metros — Power Plant Operators salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $136,300
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $118,520
    Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $110,190
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $108,730
    Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area $105,870
    Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $102,950

    Related occupations in Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $38,670
    Upholsterers $59,400
    Sewing Machine Operators $46,360
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $63,280
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $41,340
    Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $52,150

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Power Plant Operators make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Power Plant Operators in Hickory, NC is $46.59, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $57.02 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Power Plant Operators salaries?

    The median Power Plant Operators salary in Hickory, NC is 2.8% below the national median of $99,670. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Power Plant Operators in Hickory?

    Entry-level Power Plant Operators (10th percentile) earn around $63,510 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $86,860.