SOC 51-8013 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Power Plant Operators — Las Cruces
Las Cruces, NM
At $57,980, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Power Plant Operators, 43.2% beneath the national figure of $102,040.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -11.2%
- Openings per year
- 2,500
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Las Cruces, NM.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $57,980, this is one of the lower medians recorded for Power Plant Operators, 43.2% beneath the national figure of $102,040. Pay ranges from under $43,300 at the tenth percentile to more than $121,690 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $43,300 to $97,180.
Employment stands at 30, or 0.4 jobs per thousand held locally. Of the 274 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 123rd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $43,300 | −57.6% |
| 25th | $43,300 | −57.6% |
| Median (50th) | $57,980 | −43.2% |
| 75th | $97,180 | −4.8% |
| 90th | $121,690 | +19.3% |
| Mean | $69,360 | −32.0% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Las Cruces run 9.8% below the national average, so the median of $57,980 goes as far as $64,279 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 37.0% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$57,980as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$64,279US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $57,980 a year, 43.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $43,300 to $121,690 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 30 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Power Plant Operators in Las Cruces, NM?
The median annual wage is $57,980, or $27.88 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 Las Cruces, NM is 43.2% lower. 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 Las Cruces, NM earns more than $121,690 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $43,300 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.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 30 jobs in this occupation in Las Cruces, NM. 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.
Explore related data