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SOC 51-8013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Power Plant OperatorsCincinnati

Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · 2 metro areas compared

$109,820 /year
$52.80per hour
220jobs in area
+7.6%vs US median

At $109,820, median pay for Power Plant Operators in Cincinnati, OH tracks the national median of $102,040 closely.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $102,04010TH$68,97025TH$77,350MEDIAN$109,82090TH$122,110

Salary overview

At $109,820, median pay for Power Plant Operators in Cincinnati, OH tracks the national median of $102,040 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $77,350 and $110,280. The lowest tenth earn under $68,970, while the highest tenth earn more than $122,110.

The area has 220 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.06 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Columbus leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $110,030. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 59th of 647 by median pay.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$68,970−32.4%
25th$77,350−24.2%
Median (50th)$109,820+7.6%
75th$110,280+8.1%
90th$122,110+19.7%
Mean$99,790−2.2%

Other metro areas in Ohio

Median annual wage for Power Plant Operators, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Columbus$110,030130
2Toledo$107,44050

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Cincinnati run 7.2% below the national average, so the median of $109,820 goes as far as $118,341 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 16.0% above the national median in real terms.

Published median

$109,820as reported by BLS

Local price level

92.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$118,341US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $109,820 a year, 7.6% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $68,970 to $122,110 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 220 jobs in this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Columbus, at $110,030.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Power Plant Operators in Cincinnati, OH?

The median annual wage is $109,820, or $52.80 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $102,040, so pay in Cincinnati, OH is 7.6% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Cincinnati, OH earns more than $122,110 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $68,970 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Columbus, at $110,030 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 220 jobs in this occupation in Cincinnati, OH. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.

Power Plant Operators Salary in Cincinnati, OH (2025): $109,820 Median | Salary Explorer