Jobs Similar to Power Plant Operators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to power plant operators, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators, Biomass Plant Technicians and Wellhead Pumpers.
Power Plant Operators: $102,040 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
83% similar · $77,320 (−24%) · High school
- 2Biomass Plant Technicians
82% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 3Wellhead Pumpers
82% similar · $69,960 (−31%) · High school
- 4Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
82% similar · $78,620 (−23%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 5Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
82% similar · $96,710 (−5%) · High school · Same group
- 6Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
81% similar · $46,550 (−54%) · High school
- 7Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
81% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · Training or associate · Same group
- 8Geothermal Technicians
80% similar · $49,230 (broader group) · High school
- 9Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
80% similar · $47,720 (−53%) · High school
- 10Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
80% similar · $50,140 (−51%) · High school
- 11Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
80% similar · $52,800 (−48%) · High school
- 12Gas Plant Operators
80% similar · $87,820 (−14%) · High school · Same group
- 13Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
80% similar · $46,460 (−54%) · High school
- 14Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
80% similar · $48,250 (−53%) · High school
- 15Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
79% similar · $45,760 (−55%) · High school
- 16Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
79% similar · $60,020 (−41%) · High school · Same group
- 17Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
79% similar · $41,330 (−59%) · High school
- 18Industrial Machinery Mechanics
79% similar · $64,520 (−37%) · Training or associate
- 19Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
79% similar · $38,760 (−62%) · High school
- 20Continuous Mining Machine Operators
79% similar · $61,810 (−39%) · 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
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for power plant operators also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where power plant operators is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (93)
- Geothermal Technicians (90)
- Wellhead Pumpers (89)
- Nuclear Technicians (85)
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (85)
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (82)
- Wind Turbine Service Technicians (82)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (81)
- Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders (80)
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (80)
Questions about jobs like power plant operators
What jobs are most similar to power plant operators?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (83% similar), Biomass Plant Technicians (82% similar), Wellhead Pumpers (82% similar), Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (82% similar) and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (82% similar).
Do jobs like power plant operators pay more?
None of the 20 most similar careers has a higher BLS median pay than power plant operators 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.