Hydroelectric Production Manager Salary (2026), outlook and how to become one

Hydroelectric Production Managers earn a median of $126,060 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 147% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $60.61/hr. The middle half earn between $98,160 and $161,880. The top 10% earn $205,520 or more.

The median hourly wage for hydroelectric production managers is $60.61 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $126,060 annual median works out to about $10,510 a month before tax.

BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of hydroelectric production managers earn less than $78,000 a year and the bottom quarter less than $98,160 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.

Yes, more often than not. The median is $126,060, so more than half of hydroelectric production managers earn over $100,000 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). In 52 states the median itself is above $100,000: Delaware ($153,000), Wyoming ($151,490), Massachusetts ($148,050), New Jersey ($147,260), and 48 more.

The highest state medians for Hydroelectric Production Managers are Delaware ($153,000), Wyoming ($151,490), Massachusetts ($148,050) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Wyoming moves to the top at $163,436.

BLS does not split hydroelectric production managers' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $205,520, against a median of $126,060 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Delaware ($153,000), Wyoming ($151,490), Massachusetts ($148,050).

Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Hydroelectric Production Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 29.0% hold post-secondary certificate.

BLS does not publish a fixed length; it depends on the route. What it does publish: the typical way in for hydroelectric production managers is a bachelor's degree, plus 5 years or more of work experience in a related occupation. O*NET classes the work as needing medium preparation.

It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 17,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.

Industrial production managers oversee the operations of manufacturing and related plants. A core O*NET task: monitor or inspect hydroelectric equipment, such as hydro-turbines, generators, or control systems. Employers most often ask for Data base management system software, Data base user interface and query software, Development environment software.

Most work more than 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 65% of hydroelectric production managers usually work more than 40 hours a week, 35% work exactly 40 and 0% work fewer. 71% say their schedule is regular and 30% irregular. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.

O*NET scores Hydroelectric Production Managers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Enterprising 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 the closest types are ISTJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.

Women make up 22.8% of hydroelectric production managers, against 47.1% of all employed people: more men than in the workforce as a whole. 22.9% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs. The median worker is 46.1 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages.