Hydroelectric Plant Technicians earn a median of $102,040 per year ($49.06/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 5.1% through 2035, with about 2,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-8013
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Hydroelectric Plant Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $102,040a year, or $49.06/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $62KTop 10% $132K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -5.1%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−5.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −5.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,30029,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202529.8K
- Projected 203528.3K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 29.8K Projected 2035 28.3K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school2.8%
- Certificate34%
- Some college22.4%
- Associate's34%
- Bachelor's6.9%
Highest education held by hydroelectric plant technicians Segment Value High school 2.8% Certificate 34% Some college 22.4% Associate's 34% Bachelor's 6.9%
Also advertised as: Hydro Plant Technician (Hydro Plant Tech), Hydro Technician (Hydro Tech), Hydroelectric Mechanic, Hydroelectric Operations and Maintenance Technician (Hydro O and M Technician), Hydroelectric Operator, Hydroelectric Plant Mechanic.
Pay
How much do Hydroelectric Plant Technicians make?
Every hydroelectric plant technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$102,040
Middle half earn $79,690 to $119,080
- 10th
- $61,790
- 25th
- $79,690
- 75th
- $119,080
- 90th
- $131,940
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $61,790 |
| 25th | $79,690 |
| Median | $102,040 |
| 75th | $119,080 |
| 90th | $131,940 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $102,040
- Median hourly wage
- $49.06/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $99,790
- People employed
- 29,320
Versus all US occupations
At $102,040, Hydroelectric Plant Technicians earn 100% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $51,060 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 112% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $131,940 or more while the bottom 10% earn $61,790, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 75% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($131,620), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $137,322 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Hydroelectric Plant Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $131,620 | $122,994 | 430 |
| 2Nevada | $131,400 | $131,428 | 250 |
| 3New Jersey | $131,370 | $120,739 | 300 |
| 4Idaho | $124,440 | $130,312 | 310 |
| 5North Dakota | $122,160 | $137,322 | 150 |
| 6Hawaii | $121,700 | $110,686 | 290 |
| 7Tennessee | $115,920 | $126,178 | 490 |
| 8Maryland | $111,260 | $106,003 | 330 |
| 9Oregon | $109,830 | $106,259 | 250 |
| 10North Carolina | $108,300 | $114,815 | 420 |
Job outlook
Is Hydroelectric Plant Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -5.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Hydroelectric Plant Technicians | −5.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Hydroelectric Plant Technicians to change -5.1% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,500 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,300 openings are projected each year, 7.7% of the 29,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, decline.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers varies by occupation (see table).
Although electricity use is expected to increase, technological advances and greater efficiency are expected to reduce employment in these occupations. In addition, projected declines in some forms of electricity generation will also likely reduce demand for some subsets of these workers.
Getting in
How to become a Hydroelectric Plant Technician
Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers typically need at least a high school diploma or the equivalent to enter the occupation. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have experience. Once hired, power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers typically receive extensive on-the-job training.
Employers may require prospective operators to take an exam to test their aptitude for this work. This exam measures reading comprehension, understanding of mechanical concepts, spatial ability, and mathematical ability.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as hydroelectric plant technicians.
- Post-Secondary Certificate34%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree34%
- Some College Courses22.4%
- Bachelor's Degree6.9%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)2.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 34% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 34% |
| Some College Courses | 22.4% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 6.9% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 2.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Hydroelectric Plant Technician do?
Monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation. Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, and battery banks. Monitor equipment operation and performance and make necessary adjustments to ensure optimal performance. Perform equipment maintenance and repair as necessary.
Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers control the systems that generate and distribute electric power.
Day-to-day tasks
- Inspect water-powered electric generators or auxiliary equipment in hydroelectric plants to verify proper operation or to determine maintenance or repair needs.
- Maintain logs, reports, work requests, or other records of work performed in hydroelectric plants.
- Monitor hydroelectric power plant equipment operation and performance, adjusting to performance specifications, as necessary.
- Identify or address malfunctions of hydroelectric plant operational equipment, such as generators, transformers, or turbines.
- Operate hydroelectric plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates, fans, electric control boards, or battery banks.
- Take readings and record data, such as water levels, temperatures, or flow rates.
- Perform preventive or corrective containment or cleanup measures in hydroelectric plants to prevent environmental contamination.
- Start, adjust, or stop generating units, operating valves, gates, or auxiliary equipment in hydroelectric power generating plants.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. Operators, distributors, and dispatchers typically work rotating 8- or 12-hour shifts.
Work on rotating shifts, which may involve day or night work schedules that alternate over a specified time, can be stressful because of the constant changes in living and sleeping patterns.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Monitoring3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.3
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Writing3.0
- Mathematics3.0
- Active Learning3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operations Monitoring3.9
- Equipment Maintenance3.9
- Operation and Control3.8
- Repairing3.5
- Troubleshooting3.4
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.9 |
| Operation and Control | 3.8 |
| Repairing | 3.5 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.4 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Facilities management software
- Industrial control software
- Internet browser software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Hydroelectric Plant Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Hydroelectric Plant Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional4.7
- Investigative3.3
- Enterprising1.8
- Social1.2
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Hydroelectric Plant Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Production
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
- Production
- Production
More production careers
Median annual pay, with hydroelectric plant technicians highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Hydroelectric Plant Technician$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Hydroelectric Plant Technician | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Hydroelectric Plant Technician appears on
Questions
Hydroelectric Plant Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Hydroelectric Plant Technicians make?
Hydroelectric Plant Technicians earn a median of $102,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 100% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $49.06/hr. The middle half earn between $79,690 and $119,080. The top 10% earn $131,940 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Hydroelectric Plant Technician?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Hydroelectric Plant Technicians. BLS also lists long-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 34.0% hold post-secondary certificate.
Is Hydroelectric Plant Technician a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 5.1% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,500 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Hydroelectric Plant Technician do?
Power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers control the systems that generate and distribute electric power. A core O*NET task: inspect water-powered electric generators or auxiliary equipment in hydroelectric plants to verify proper operation or to determine maintenance or repair needs. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Hydroelectric Plant Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Hydroelectric Plant Technicians are Washington ($131,620), Nevada ($131,400), New Jersey ($131,370) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $137,322.
What personality type suits a Hydroelectric Plant Technician?
O*NET scores Hydroelectric Plant Technicians highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.