All careers › Meter Readers, Utilities
Meter reader: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $34,720lowest 10% earn less
- $39,41025th percentile
- $48,150median
- $65,75075th percentile
- $85,930top 10% earn more
The median meter reader (BLS title: Meter Readers, Utilities) earned $48,150 a year[1]. Employment is projected to fall 10.5% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -10.5%[2]
- Openings per year
- 1,400[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do meter readers make?
In May 2025, the median wage for meter readers was $48,150 a year, or $23.15 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was higher, at $55,380 a year or $26.63 an hour[7].
For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[4]. So the typical meter reader earned a bit less than the typical US worker.
Pay varies a lot within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $34,720 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $85,930[3]. The 25th percentile was $39,410 and the 75th was $65,750[3]. By the hour, those marks were $16.69, $18.95, $31.61 and $41.31 for the 10th, 25th, 75th and 90th percentiles[8].
A percentile is a boundary line in the pay data. BLS publishes percentile wages and does not publish a starting salary[9]. These figures also leave out self-employed people and benefits such as health insurance[10].
Pay by state and city
Among the 39 states with published data, California had the highest median at $79,040, followed by Pennsylvania at $78,450 and Nevada at $76,120[11]. Mississippi had the lowest median in that list, at $37,120[11].
The most jobs were in Texas (1,360), Ohio (1,070) and New York (930)[12]. New Jersey had 870 and Pennsylvania 860[12].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA had the highest median at $100,480[13]. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington came next at $83,350, then Chicago-Naperville-Elgin at $80,180[13]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs, with 1,110[14].
Show median pay in 39 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| California[11] | $79,040 | 810 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,450 | 860 |
| Nevada | $76,120 | 160 |
| Minnesota | $73,930 | 120 |
| Colorado | $66,550 | 150 |
| Washington | $65,900 | 390 |
| Connecticut | $64,180 | 140 |
| Oregon | $63,660 | 120 |
| New Jersey | $63,030 | 870 |
| Alaska | $62,690 | 40 |
| Wyoming | $61,470 | 50 |
| Iowa | $60,940 | 120 |
| Michigan | $60,870 | 270 |
| Illinois | $60,690 | 570 |
| West Virginia | $59,430 | 280 |
| Delaware | $58,240 | 30 |
| New York | $56,960 | 930 |
| Rhode Island | $56,830 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $54,150 | 300 |
| Hawaii | $51,910 | 50 |
| Kansas | $49,870 | 80 |
| Indiana | $49,200 | 330 |
| Missouri | $49,150 | 330 |
| New Mexico | $48,530 | 350 |
| South Carolina | $47,850 | 410 |
| Ohio | $47,780 | 1,070 |
| Alabama | $45,710 | 470 |
| Tennessee | $45,210 | 860 |
| Arizona | $44,760 | 360 |
| Kentucky | $44,450 | 690 |
| Virginia | $44,020 | 630 |
| Georgia | $43,140 | 670 |
| Texas | $43,030 | 1,360 |
| North Carolina | $41,830 | 640 |
| Florida | $40,610 | n/a |
| Oklahoma | $39,480 | 390 |
| Louisiana | $37,570 | 500 |
| Arkansas | $37,340 | 230 |
| Mississippi | $37,120 | 600 |
How to become a meter reader
BLS describes the typical path like this[6]:
- First: finish high school or get an equivalent diploma.
- Next: no work experience in a related job is needed.
- Then: learn the job through short-term on-the-job training.
O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation is needed[15]. Some jobs in this group need little or no previous experience, and others need several months to a year[15].
What meter readers do
O*NET describes the work as reading meters that record use of electricity, gas, water or steam[16]. Common tasks include[17]:
- Read meters and enter the numbers in route books or hand-held computers.
- Walk or drive set routes to check meter dials.
- Upload the collected readings to office computers.
- Double-check readings that look unusual and note possible reasons.
- Install new meters or replace broken ones.
- Inspect meters for damage or unauthorized connections.
- Answer customer questions about services and charges.
- Report problems such as blocked access to a meter.
Workers report job titles such as meter technician, utility service worker and water inspector[18].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment of meter readers to decline 10.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 19,700 jobs to 17,600[2]. For comparison, employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[19]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2]. The OEWS count for May 2025 was about 19,430 wage and salary jobs[20].
BLS names one factor: remote reading technology, such as smart systems that send usage data automatically, is expected to replace more manual readings[21].
Even so, about 1,400 openings are projected each year on average[5]. Openings count jobs left open when workers retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 4.2% of workers leave the labor force and 4.3% move to a different occupation[22].
Is it a good fit?
The entry bar is low: a high school diploma, no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6]. Pay is near the middle of the US range, with a median of $48,150 against $50,980 for all occupations[1][4]. The main weakness in the data is the outlook, with a projected 10.5% decline[2]. Openings still arise each year from workers who leave or switch jobs[5][22]. Pay differs by state, so local figures matter[11].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a meter reader make an hour?
- The median was $23.15 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $26.63[1][7].
- What education do you need to be a meter reader?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
- Is meter reading a dying job?
- BLS projects employment to decline 10.5% from 2025 to 2035, with remote reading technology as the named factor[2][21]. About 1,400 openings a year are still projected[5].
- What is the highest paying state for meter readers?
- California had the highest median at $79,040, ahead of Pennsylvania at $78,450[11].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Meter Readers, Utilities in the US was $48,150 per year and $23.15 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Meter Readers, Utilities is projected to decline 10.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 19,700 to 17,600 jobs (a change of -2,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Meter Readers, Utilities: 10th percentile $34,720, 25th percentile $39,410, 75th percentile $65,750, 90th percentile $85,930. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 1,400 openings for Meter Readers, Utilities are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Meter Readers, Utilities: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Meter Readers, Utilities was $55,380 per year and $26.63 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Meter Readers, Utilities: 10th percentile $16.69, 25th percentile $18.95, 75th percentile $31.61, 90th percentile $41.31. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Meter Readers, Utilities in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Meter Readers, Utilities jobs: Texas 1,360; Ohio 1,070; New York 930; New Jersey 870; Pennsylvania 860. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Meter Readers, Utilities (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $100,480; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $83,350; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $80,180; Pittsburgh, PA $78,290; Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $75,830; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $75,140; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $74,030; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $63,040. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Meter Readers, Utilities jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,110 (median $63,040); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 400 (median $83,350); Columbus, OH 390 (median $47,430); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 380 (median $42,280); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 310 (median $43,140); Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 310 (median $40,100). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 43-5041.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Meter Readers, Utilities. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Meter Readers, Utilities. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 43-5041.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Field Technician (Field Tech), Meter Reader, Meter Reading Clerk, Meter Service Technician (Meter Service Tech), Meter Service Worker, Meter Technician (Meter Tech), Utility Service Worker, Water Inspector. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 19,430 people were employed as Meter Readers, Utilities in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Meter Readers, Utilities: Capital/labor substitution - share decreases as alternative remote meter reading technologies (e.g., AMR, AMI, and other smart systems) increasingly replace manual meter readings by automatically sending energy usage data. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Meter Readers, Utilities: 4.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.