Power Plant Operators pay range in Columbus
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $120,270 or more. The middle half of power plant operators in Columbus earn between $78,200 and $111,720.
- $76K10th
- $78K25th
- $110KMedian
- $112K75th
- $120K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $100,520 | $8,377 | $48.33 |
| Median | $110,030 | $9,169 | $52.90 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $78,200 | $6,517 | $37.60 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $111,720 | $9,310 | $53.71 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Power Plant Operators salary after taxes in Columbus
On the average salary of $100,520, a single filer in Columbus takes home about $74,704 a year, or $6,225 a month and $2,873 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 (2026 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Is Columbus a good place for power plant operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbus area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $100,520 buys what about $105,291 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbus ($51,340). A typical home costs $333,537, or 3.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Power Plant Operators salary in other Ohio cities
Columbus ranks 2nd of 3 Ohio metro areas for this job; Toledo pays the most ($106,800).
- Toledo$106,800
- Columbus$100,520
- Cincinnati$99,790
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 Columbus: questions
How much do power plant operators make an hour in Columbus?
$48.33 an hour on average, and $52.90 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level power plant operators salary in Columbus?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $75,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $78,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the power plant operators take-home pay in Columbus?
About $74,704 a year ($6,225 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $100,520. Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
Do power plant operators earn more in Columbus than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Columbus, OH (18140). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.9%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Includes Columbus's local income tax (2.5%); the city income tax is that of the principal city (suburbs have their own rates) and school district income taxes are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.61, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.61).
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