Updated October 15, 2026
Energy & Utilities Salary Guide: Pay for 33 Careers
Median annual pay, hourly wage, pay range and job growth for 33 energy and utilities careers, from official Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Click a column to sort.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
The typical median wage across these 33 careers is $74,330 a year. The highest-paying is petroleum engineer at $144,910.
| Career | Median/yr | Median/hr | 10th pct | 90th pct | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum Engineer | $144,910 | $69.67 | $81,440 | $253,200 | +2.0% |
| Nuclear Engineer | $133,970 | $64.41 | $92,960 | $196,290 | +0.4% |
| Nuclear Reactor Operator | $122,890 | $59.08 | $98,640 | $149,310 | -5.9% |
| Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $53.00 | $73,150 | $133,600 | +1.1% |
| Power Dispatcher | $106,730 | $51.31 | $72,440 | $154,270 | +1.2% |
| Mining Engineer | $106,220 | $51.07 | $67,490 | $169,990 | +3.8% |
| Substation Technician | $103,020 | $49.53 | $65,730 | $129,920 | +9.7% |
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 | $49.06 | $61,790 | $131,940 | -5.1% |
| Refinery Operator | $96,710 | $46.50 | $57,110 | $115,880 | -1.9% |
| Gas Plant Operator | $87,820 | $42.22 | $61,350 | $115,520 | -6.0% |
| Stationary Engineer | $78,620 | $37.80 | $50,590 | $125,390 | +3.1% |
| Roof Bolter | $78,540 | $37.76 | $63,750 | $92,830 | -18.9% |
| Chemical Plant Operator | $78,120 | $37.56 | $48,400 | $111,930 | -5.2% |
| Gas Compressor Operator | $77,320 | $37.17 | $46,180 | $99,510 | +2.1% |
| Underground Mining Loader Operator | $74,500 | $35.82 | $52,030 | $87,730 | -15.8% |
| Control Valve Technician | $74,340 | $35.74 | $45,910 | $112,500 | +4.3% |
| Telecommunications Lineworker | $74,330 | $35.73 | $45,310 | $103,680 | -3.4% |
| Wellhead Pumper | $69,960 | $33.63 | $44,100 | $98,170 | -2.0% |
| Rotary Drill Operator | $67,890 | $32.64 | $47,010 | $101,860 | +0.8% |
| Mining Machine Operator | $61,810 | $29.72 | $46,770 | $86,210 | +3.2% |
| Pump Operator | $61,770 | $29.70 | $39,420 | $91,820 | +4.3% |
| Blaster | $61,390 | $29.51 | $40,480 | $99,360 | 0.0% |
| Water Well Driller | $60,190 | $28.94 | $44,460 | $83,800 | +3.6% |
| Derrick Operator | $58,620 | $28.18 | $43,380 | $81,800 | +1.6% |
| Oilfield Service Operator | $58,160 | $27.96 | $38,940 | $97,560 | +1.1% |
| Chemical Equipment Operator | $58,040 | $27.90 | $37,440 | $92,250 | +3.6% |
| Surface Mining Equipment Operator | $57,430 | $27.61 | $41,600 | $82,400 | +1.0% |
| Geological Technician | $53,350 | $25.65 | $35,770 | $99,560 | +3.6% |
| Separating Machine Operator | $51,610 | $24.81 | $36,200 | $79,750 | -5.7% |
| Quarry Rock Splitter | $48,740 | $23.44 | $37,340 | $67,710 | +5.8% |
| Meter Reader | $48,150 | $23.15 | $34,720 | $85,930 | -10.5% |
| Extraction Helper | $47,730 | $22.95 | $36,960 | $68,020 | +1.7% |
| Roustabout | $46,960 | $22.58 | $36,420 | $64,530 | +3.6% |