Jobs Similar to Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to hydroelectric plant technicians, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Control and Valve Installers and Repairers and Ship Engineers.
Hydroelectric Plant Technicians: $102,040 (broader BLS group) · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Hydroelectric Plant Technicians) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsSame group | 84% | $78,620 | Training or associate |
| 2 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 83% | $74,340 | Training or associate |
| 3 | Ship Engineers | 83% | $109,530 | Training or associate |
| 4 | Geothermal Technicians | 83% | $49,230Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 5 | Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 82% | $79,870 | Training or associate |
| 6 | Wind Turbine Service Technicians | 82% | $64,120 | Training or associate |
| 7 | Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 82% | $65,510 | Training or associate |
| 8 | Industrial Machinery Mechanics | 82% | $64,520 | Training or associate |
| 9 | Wellhead Pumpers | 82% | $69,960 | High school |
| 10 | Pile Driver Operators | 82% | $73,300 | High school |
| 11 | Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | 81% | $103,020 | Training or associate |
| 12 | Maintenance Workers, Machinery | 81% | $60,850 | Training or associate |
| 13 | Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | 81% | $61,770 | Training or associate |
| 14 | Power Plant OperatorsSame group | 81% | $102,040 | High school |
| 15 | Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers | 80% | $109,910 | Training or associate |
| 16 | Engine and Other Machine Assemblers | 80% | $53,710 | High school |
| 17 | Continuous Mining Machine Operators | 80% | $61,810 | High school |
| 18 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | 80% | $77,320 | High school |
| 19 | Rail Car Repairers | 80% | $67,530 | High school |
| 20 | Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers | 80% | $39,630 | High school |
- 1Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
84% similar · $78,620 · Training or associate · Same group
- 2Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
83% similar · $74,340 · Training or associate
- 3Ship Engineers
83% similar · $109,530 · Training or associate
- 4Geothermal Technicians
83% similar · $49,230 (broader group) · High school
- 5Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians
82% similar · $79,870 · Training or associate
- 6Wind Turbine Service Technicians
82% similar · $64,120 · Training or associate
- 7Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
82% similar · $65,510 · Training or associate
- 8Industrial Machinery Mechanics
82% similar · $64,520 · Training or associate
- 9Wellhead Pumpers
82% similar · $69,960 · High school
- 10Pile Driver Operators
82% similar · $73,300 · High school
- 11Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
81% similar · $103,020 · Training or associate
- 12Maintenance Workers, Machinery
81% similar · $60,850 · Training or associate
- 13Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists
81% similar · $61,770 · Training or associate
- 14Power Plant Operators
81% similar · $102,040 · High school · Same group
- 15Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers
80% similar · $109,910 · Training or associate
- 16Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
80% similar · $53,710 · High school
- 17Continuous Mining Machine Operators
80% similar · $61,810 · High school
- 18Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
80% similar · $77,320 · High school
- 19Rail Car Repairers
80% similar · $67,530 · High school
- 20Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
80% similar · $39,630 · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Geothermal Technicians83% similar · High school
- Wellhead Pumpers82% similar · High school
- Pile Driver Operators82% similar · High school
- Power Plant Operators81% similar · High school
- Engine and Other Machine Assemblers80% similar · High school
- Continuous Mining Machine Operators80% similar · High school
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for hydroelectric plant technicians also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where hydroelectric plant technicians is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Ship Engineers (93)
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians (92)
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay (88)
- Geothermal Technicians (88)
- Nuclear Technicians (87)
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General (85)
- Wellhead Pumpers (84)
- Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door (83)
- Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (82)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (82)
Questions about jobs like hydroelectric plant technicians
What jobs are most similar to hydroelectric plant technicians?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (84% similar), Control and Valve Installers and Repairers (83% similar), Ship Engineers (83% similar), Geothermal Technicians (83% similar) and Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians (82% similar).
Do jobs like hydroelectric plant technicians pay more?
None of the 20 most similar careers has a higher BLS median pay than hydroelectric plant technicians where a direct comparison is possible.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.