Power Plant Operators build operations monitoring, operation and control and complex problem solving skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (81%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | 81% | $77,320 | −24% | None |
| 2 | Nuclear Technicians | 77% | $110,240 | +8% | Certificate or associate |
| 3 | Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation | 76% | $92,100Pay for the broader BLS group “Transportation Inspectors” | Not compared | None |
| 4 | Wellhead Pumpers | 73% | $69,960 | −31% | None |
| 5 | Ship Engineers | 73% | $109,530 | +7% | Certificate or associate |
| 6 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | 71% | $103,020 | +1% | Certificate or associate |
| 7 | Roof Bolters, Mining | 68% | $78,540 | −23% | None |
| 8 | Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | 67% | $95,320 | −7% | None |
| 9 | Locomotive Engineers | 67% | $81,410 | −20% | None |
| 10 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 67% | $74,340 | −27% | Certificate or associate |
Compared with Power Plant Operators, median $102,040. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as power plant operators (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
81% skill match · $77,320 · −24% pay
Instructing · Negotiation
77% skill match · $110,240 · +8% pay
Instructing · Persuasion · Systems Evaluation
76% skill match · $92,100 (broader BLS group)
Quality Control Analysis
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (81% skill match, median $77,320), Nuclear Technicians (77% skill match, median $110,240) and Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation (76% skill match, median $92,100), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 4 pay more than power plant operators at the median. The biggest increases: Nuclear Technicians (+8%, $110,240), Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers (+8%, $109,910) and Ship Engineers (+7%, $109,530).
14 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.