Power Plant Operators pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $103,150 a year or less, while the top 10% make $153,790 or more. The middle half of power plant operators in Portland earn between $109,800 and $143,160.
- $103K10th
- $110K25th
- $137KMedian
- $143K75th
- $154K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $128,530 | $10,711 | $61.79 |
| Median | $137,030 | $11,419 | $65.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $109,800 | $9,150 | $52.79 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $143,160 | $11,930 | $68.83 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Power Plant Operators salary after taxes in Portland
On the average salary of $128,530, a single filer in Portland takes home about $89,022 a year, or $7,419 a month and $3,424 every two weeks. Taxes take 31% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $99,116 | $8,260 |
| Working in OR | $89,022 | $7,419 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for power plant operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $128,530 buys what about $121,921 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Power Plant Operators salary in nearby metro areas
- Longview, WA$97,480
- Seattle, WA$132,410
- Wenatchee, WA$150,930
- Spokane, WA$104,720
- Boise, ID$108,630
- Reno, NV$114,840
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 Portland: questions
How much do power plant operators make an hour in Portland?
$61.79 an hour on average, and $65.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level power plant operators salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $103,150 a year and the 25th percentile is $109,800, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the power plant operators take-home pay in Portland?
About $89,022 a year ($7,419 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $128,530. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do power plant operators earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 25% more 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.0%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
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