US Trends

what do public utilities jobs pay

Public utilities jobs typically pay about $56,100 per year on average , but pay varies a lot by role and location. Entry-level jobs can be around $26,000 to $40,000 , while skilled and management roles can reach $74,000 to well over $100,000.

Typical pay range

  • Utility worker: about $31,000.
  • Plant operator: about $37,000.
  • Repair technician: about $44,000.
  • Journeyman lineman: about $74,000.
  • Utilities manager: about $74,000.

Higher-paying roles

Some public utilities careers pay much more, especially in engineering, compliance, and leadership. Examples include electrical engineers at roughly $84,000 to $135,000 , regulatory compliance officers at $77,000 to $140,000 , and some executive or plant management jobs above $150,000.

What changes pay

Pay depends on several things:

  • Experience level.
  • Job type and technical skill.
  • State or city.
  • Employer size and whether the utility is public or private.

Example by location

In California, one salary source puts the average public utilities pay at about $63,928 per year , while New York is listed around $70,868 per year.

TL;DR: public utilities pay is often middle-income to high-income , with entry roles near the low $30k range and skilled or management jobs commonly landing in the $70k–$140k+ range.