What are the main factors that influence a Control Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Control Operator's salary?

A Control Operator's salary grows with experience: a Power Plant Operator I (0-1 years)earns $70,514, a Control Operator (1-3 years)earns $82,028, a Power Plant Operator III (3-5 years)earns $92,145, a Power Plant Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $106,643, a Power Plant Operations Shift Supervisor I (7+ years)earns $123,183,

What are the highest paying states for a Control Operator?

Control Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Control Operator roles are District of Columbia $90,049, California $89,707, Massachusetts $88,512. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Control Operator roles make?

Salaries for Control Operator level roles vary by specialization: Pest Control Operator: $95,009; Nuclear Plant Control Operator: $74,092; Solids Control Operator: $59,545; Network Control Operator: $55,966; Quality Control Operator: $52,553.

How do different companies affect a Control Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Control Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc ($126,909) and GE Renewable Energy ($121,776) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $76,117.

Control Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Control Operator make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Control Operator in the United States is $81,330 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Control Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $101,660
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $75,747 to $91,972
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $70,663

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Control Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,972	$7,664	$1,769	$44
Average	$81,330	$6,778	$1,564	$39
25th Percentile	$75,747	$6,312	$1,457	$36

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Key Factors That Influence Control Operator Salaries

A Control Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Control Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Control Operator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $70,514
Early Career (1-2 years): $82,028
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $92,145
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $106,643
Expert (over 8 years): $123,183

Levels	Salary
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$70,514
Control O... Level Control Operator	$82,028
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$92,145
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$106,643
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$123,183

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Control Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Control Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $90,049.
California: $89,707.
Massachusetts: $88,512.

District of Columbia $90,049

California $89,707

Massachusetts $88,512

Washington $88,186

New Jersey $88,154

Alaska $88,040

Connecticut $86,918

New York $86,462

Hawaii $85,006

Rhode Island $84,323

Maryland $83,860

Minnesota $83,225

Colorado $82,981

Illinois $82,900

Oregon $82,591

Delaware $82,363

New Hampshire $82,220

Virginia $81,900

Pennsylvania $80,964

Nevada $80,493

North Dakota $80,338

Michigan $80,094

Wisconsin $80,005

Vermont $79,826

Texas $79,330

Maine $79,297

Arizona $79,248

Ohio $79,191

Georgia $78,443

Indiana $78,069

Wyoming $77,996

Utah $77,882

Iowa $77,833

Kansas $77,443

Louisiana $77,329

North Carolina $77,288

Missouri $77,272

Florida $76,955

Montana $76,784

Nebraska $76,621

Kentucky $76,532

South Carolina $76,206

Tennessee $76,003

Idaho $75,922

New Mexico $75,328

Oklahoma $75,198

Alabama $74,718

South Dakota $73,913

Arkansas $73,474

West Virginia $73,238

Mississippi $72,530

Top Paying Cities for Control Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $102,582
San Francisco: $101,573
Oakland: $99,321

San Jose, CA $102,582

San Francisco, CA $101,573

Oakland, CA $99,321

New York, NY $94,254

Queens Village, NY $93,644

Paramus, NJ $92,993

Passaic, NJ $92,912

Bergenfield, NJ $92,830

Stamford, CT $92,708

Huntington, NY $92,627

Newark, NJ $92,098

Bridgeport, CT $91,936

New Brunswick, NJ $91,667

Vallejo, CA $91,497

Middlesex, NJ $91,448

Somerset, NJ $91,375

Petaluma, CA $91,187

Santa Cruz, CA $90,870

Boston, MA $90,708

Monterey, CA $90,301

Fairbanks, AK $90,244

Los Angeles, CA $90,090

Washington, DC $90,049

Seattle, WA $89,902

Santa Rosa, CA $89,886

Juneau, AK $89,650

Orange, CA $89,382

Anchorage, AK $89,236

Anaheim, CA $89,179

Santa Ana, CA $89,057

Nassau, NY $89,008

Long Beach, CA $88,975

Danbury, CT $88,951

Santa Maria, CA $88,674

Everett, WA $88,658

Bremerton, WA $88,260

Trenton, NJ $88,105

Sacramento, CA $88,073

San Diego, CA $88,032

Brockton, MA $87,999

Tacoma, WA $87,967

Santa Barbara, CA $87,853

Lowell, MA $87,528

New Suffolk, NY $87,495

Nashua, NH $87,398

Lompoc, CA $87,267

Ventura, CA $87,186

Stockton, CA $87,162

New Haven, CT $86,999

Atlantic City, NJ $86,788

Hartford, CT $86,609

Modesto, CA $86,568

Poughkeepsie, NY $86,389

New Britain, CT $86,348

Kennewick, WA $86,234

Olympia, WA $86,234

New London, CT $86,218

Norwich, CT $86,194

Lawrence, MA $86,153

Bakersfield, CA $85,925

New Bedford, MA $85,812

Riverside, CA $85,812

Richland, WA $85,730

Portsmouth, NH $85,665

Vineland, NJ $85,649

San Bernardino, CA $85,584

Boulder, CO $85,356

Worcester, MA $85,291

Portland, OR $85,218

Saint Paul, MN $85,120

Minneapolis, MN $85,120

Philadelphia, PA $85,006

Honolulu, HI $84,575

Springfield, MA $84,291

Providence, RI $84,283

Chicago, IL $84,047

Bellingham, WA $83,949

Baltimore, MD $83,860

Chico, CA $83,656

Wilmington, DE $83,518

Pittsfield, MA $83,437

Manchester, NH $83,282

Spokane, WA $82,924

Denver, CO $82,916

Albany, NY $82,534

Troy, NY $82,501

Schenectady, NY $82,331

Burlington, VT $82,152

Portland, ME $81,867

Salem, OR $81,802

Yakima, WA $81,786

Ann Arbor, MI $81,761

Rochester, MN $81,534

Reno, NV $81,493

Fresno, CA $81,493

Milwaukee, WI $81,420

Detroit, MI $81,338

Allentown, PA $81,314

Carson City, NV $81,306

Houston, TX $81,184

Colorado Springs, CO $81,176

Syracuse, NY $81,135

Eugene, OR $80,981

Gary, IN $80,883

Bismarck, ND $80,883

Galveston, TX $80,883

Springfield, OR $80,818

Medford, OR $80,623

Fort Collins, CO $80,590

Austin, TX $80,525

Mesa, AZ $80,354

Phoenix, AZ $80,338

Dallas, TX $80,314

Reading, PA $80,265

Saint Cloud, MN $80,232

Concord, NH $80,159

Madison, WI $80,127

Utica, NY $79,907

Raleigh, NC $79,842

Las Vegas, NV $79,834

Rochester, NY $79,777

Des Moines, IA $79,769

Atlanta, GA $79,639

Battle Creek, MI $79,614

Salt Lake City, UT $79,590

Lancaster, PA $79,468

Champaign, IL $79,452

Harrisburg, PA $79,354

Durham, NC $79,281

Kansas City, MO $79,273

Kansas City, KS $79,256

Fort Worth, TX $79,248

Boca Raton, FL $79,216

Cleveland, OH $79,208

Columbus, OH $79,191

Pittsburgh, PA $79,183

Richmond, VA $79,151

Indianapolis, IN $79,134

Cincinnati, OH $79,029

Petersburg, VA $78,907

Lansing, MI $78,728

Billings, MT $78,728

Huntsville, AL $78,728

Lebanon, PA $78,720

Pueblo, CO $78,711

Dayton, OH $78,711

Appleton, WI $78,687

Buffalo, NY $78,655

Racine, WI $78,614

Charlotte, NC $78,606

Saint Louis, MO $78,581

Springfield, IL $78,549

York, PA $78,533

Elkhart, IN $78,533

Gastonia, NC $78,524

Benton Harbor, MI $78,524

Beaumont, TX $78,476

Lorain, OH $78,459

Toledo, OH $78,427

Binghamton, NY $78,386

Rock Hill, SC $78,378

Rockford, IL $78,337

Elyria, OH $78,297

Fargo, ND $78,297

Flagstaff, AZ $78,240

Fort Lauderdale, FL $78,191

Miami, FL $78,142

Duluth, MN $78,012

Bangor, ME $77,906

Cedar Rapids, IA $77,817

Louisville, KY $77,776

Grand Rapids, MI $77,760

Hialeah, FL $77,752

Casper, WY $77,638

Scranton, PA $77,540

New Orleans, LA $77,516

Virginia Beach, VA $77,508

Akron, OH $77,467

Peoria, IL $77,361

Sarasota, FL $77,345

Green Bay, WI $77,288

Baton Rouge, LA $77,247

Charleston, SC $77,231

Nashville, TN $77,207

Jamestown, NY $77,191

Davenport, IA $77,191

Tucson, AZ $77,150

Cheyenne, WY $77,125

Saint Petersburg, FL $77,101

Tampa, FL $77,085

Omaha, NE $77,069

Evansville, IN $77,036

Port Arthur, TX $77,036

Bradenton, FL $77,004

Santa Fe, NM $76,857

Orlando, FL $76,776

Clearwater, FL $76,686

La Crosse, WI $76,516

Canton, OH $76,516

Grand Forks, ND $76,491

Tulsa, OK $76,467

Albuquerque, NM $76,467

Newport News, VA $76,459

High Point, NC $76,434

Ogden, UT $76,402

Corpus Christi, TX $76,337

Laramie, WY $76,288

Norfolk, VA $76,288

Rock Island, IL $76,239

Saginaw, MI $76,223

Jacksonville, FL $76,215

Salisbury, NC $76,198

Memphis, TN $76,182

Moline, IL $76,141

Fort Myers, FL $76,117

Waterloo, IA $76,011

Spartanburg, SC $75,930

Lincoln, NE $75,889

Fort Wayne, IN $75,873

Birmingham, AL $75,784

Cedar Falls, IA $75,767

Provo, UT $75,759

Springfield, OH $75,751

San Antonio, TX $75,735

Greensboro, NC $75,702

South Bend, IN $75,694

Winston Salem, NC $75,686

Boise, ID $75,662

Savannah, GA $75,605

Muskegon, MI $75,458

Lima, OH $75,361

Lake Charles, LA $75,328

Anderson, IN $75,312

Lexington, KY $75,287

Augusta, GA $75,263

Greenville, SC $75,263

Wichita, KS $75,190

Tuscaloosa, AL $75,190

Columbia, SC $75,117

Bloomington, IN $74,913

Roanoke, VA $74,865

Asheville, NC $74,759

Knoxville, TN $74,621

Shreveport, LA $74,612

Wilmington, NC $74,507

Frankfort, KY $74,352

Oklahoma City, OK $74,295

Chillicothe, OH $74,263

Longview, TX $74,255

Topeka, KS $74,230

Mobile, AL $74,108

Terre Haute, IN $74,076

Erie, PA $74,067

Altoona, PA $74,027

Melbourne, FL $74,002

Amarillo, TX $73,970

Killeen, TX $73,945

Fayetteville, AR $73,880

Sioux Falls, SD $73,823

Chattanooga, TN $73,775

Idaho Falls, ID $73,767

Gainesville, FL $73,596

Portsmouth, OH $73,555

Little Rock, AR $73,539

Lynchburg, VA $73,539

Youngstown, OH $73,506

Lafayette, LA $73,506

Temple, TX $73,474

Daytona Beach, FL $73,458

Clarksville, TN $73,449

Pensacola, FL $73,441

Hopkinsville, KY $73,197

Charleston, WV $73,189

Florence, SC $73,148

Sioux City, IA $73,100

Macon, GA $72,864

Tallahassee, FL $72,856

Fayetteville, NC $72,839

Wichita Falls, TX $72,823

Waco, TX $72,823

Pine Bluff, AR $72,791

Vincennes, IN $72,636

Lubbock, TX $72,604

Great Falls, MT $72,555

Alamogordo, NM $72,547

Abilene, TX $72,482

Rapid City, SD $72,376

Monroe, LA $72,376

Albany, GA $72,327

Huntington, WV $72,319

Jackson, MS $72,311

Greenville, MS $72,303

Parkersburg, WV $72,221

Montgomery, AL $72,205

Johnstown, PA $72,189

Springfield, MO $72,124

Biloxi, MS $72,083

Sumter, SC $71,912

Columbus, GA $71,904

Twin Falls, ID $71,855

Pascagoula, MS $71,750

Kingsport, TN $71,538

Gulfport, MS $71,514

Alexandria, LA $71,245

Fort Smith, AR $71,042

El Paso, TX $70,822

Helena, MT $70,717

Las Cruces, NM $70,456

Harlingen, TX $70,229

Pocatello, ID $70,155

Florence, AL $70,131

Brownsville, TX $70,115

Dothan, AL $69,985

Mcallen, TX $69,944

Columbus, MS $69,342

Altus, OK $68,968

Lawton, OK $68,814

Pierre, SD $68,521

What Skills Can Increase a Control Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.86% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Healthcare Facilities Management (Mentioned in 5.23% Job Postings): Developing and implementing facility plans and processes while coordinating assets, resources, and people to ensure excellent healthcare services.
Control Structure (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): Control Structures are the blocks that analyze variables and choose directions in which to go based on given parameters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	4.86%
Healthcare Facilities Management	5.23%
Control Structure	4.05%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Control Operator's salary.

Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.
Troubleshooting: Can increase your salary by up to 1%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Leadership	$83,770	3%
Written Communication	$82,957	2%
Troubleshooting	$82,144	1%
Teamwork	$82,144	1%
Customer Service	$82,144	1%
Attention to Detail	$82,144	1%

Get Latest Data

Control Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Control Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$75,747

Average $81,330/year

$91,972

$6,312

Average $6,778/month

$7,664

$1,457

Average $1,564/week

$1,769

$36

Average $39/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,972	$7,664	$1,769	$44
Average	$81,330	$6,778	$1,564	$39
25th Percentile	$75,747	$6,312	$1,457	$36

Salaries of jobs related to Control Operator

Salary Trends for Control Operator

Salaries for a Control Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $74,179 in 2023 to around $73,365 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Control Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Control Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$74,179

2024

$74,002

2025

$73,365

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$74,179
2024	$74,002
2025	$73,365
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Control Operator

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