Power Plant Operators pay range in Bakersfield
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,140 a year or less, while the top 10% make $130,690 or more. The middle half of power plant operators in Bakersfield earn between $79,540 and $110,560.
- $61K10th
- $80K25th
- $95KMedian
- $111K75th
- $131K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $96,390 | $8,032 | $46.34 |
| Median | $94,760 | $7,897 | $45.56 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $79,540 | $6,628 | $38.24 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $110,560 | $9,213 | $53.15 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Power Plant Operators salary after taxes in Bakersfield
On the average salary of $96,390, a single filer in Bakersfield takes home about $71,768 a year, or $5,981 a month and $2,760 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Bakersfield a good place for power plant operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Bakersfield area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.9), so the average $96,390 buys what about $95,543 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Bakersfield ($47,470). A typical home costs $364,264, or 3.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Power Plant Operators salary in other California cities
Bakersfield ranks 7th of 9 California metro areas for this job; Sacramento pays the most ($135,310).
- Sacramento$135,310
- Fresno$131,280
- San Francisco$130,890
- Stockton$113,020
- Los Angeles$105,840
- San Jose$104,340
- Bakersfield$96,390
- San Diego$95,380
- Riverside$94,120
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 Bakersfield: questions
How much do power plant operators make an hour in Bakersfield?
$46.34 an hour on average, and $45.56 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level power plant operators salary in Bakersfield?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,140 a year and the 25th percentile is $79,540, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the power plant operators take-home pay in Bakersfield?
About $71,768 a year ($5,981 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $96,390. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do power plant operators earn more in Bakersfield than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($102,474).
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 Bakersfield-Delano, CA (12540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 3.18, this job is 3.2 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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