All careers › Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Power distributor: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $72,440lowest 10% earn less
- $90,20025th percentile
- $106,730median
- $130,94075th percentile
- $154,270top 10% earn more
Power distributors and dispatchers had a median pay of $106,730 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035[2].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +1.2%[2]
- Openings per year
- 700[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do power distributors make?
The median pay for power distributors and dispatchers was $106,730 a year, or $51.31 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The mean (average) was $111,320 a year, or $53.52 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].
Pay varies within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $72,440 a year, and the 25th percentile was $90,200[3]. The 75th percentile was $130,940 and the 90th percentile was $154,270[3]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $34.83 and the 90th percentile was $74.17[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].
| Measure | Annual wage | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[3] | $72,440 | |
| 25th percentile[3] | $90,200 | |
| Median[1] | $106,730 | |
| 75th percentile[3] | $130,940 | |
| 90th percentile[3] | $154,270 |
These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include benefits or nonproduction bonuses[10]. About 8,520 people held these jobs in May 2025, so it is a small occupation[11].
Pay by state and city
Among the 38 states with published data, Washington had the highest median at $144,710, followed by New York at $139,390 and Nevada at $138,300[12]. California ($137,570) and Oregon ($137,490) came next[12]. The lowest median in the list was New Mexico at $79,580[12].
Texas had the most jobs with 970, then California with 670, Pennsylvania with 560, Michigan with 450 and Massachusetts with 390[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA had the highest median at $173,120[14]. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA was next at $155,690[14]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ each had 330 jobs, the most of any metro area listed[15].
Show median pay in 38 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Washington[12] | $144,710 | 380 |
| New York | $139,390 | 150 |
| Nevada | $138,300 | 100 |
| California | $137,570 | 670 |
| Oregon | $137,490 | 340 |
| Idaho | $136,550 | 60 |
| South Dakota | $130,270 | 30 |
| Indiana | $129,080 | 90 |
| New Jersey | $128,220 | 330 |
| Maine | $121,520 | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $121,010 | 390 |
| Wyoming | $120,210 | 70 |
| Arkansas | $117,370 | 210 |
| Kansas | $116,810 | 90 |
| Michigan | $116,780 | 450 |
| Alabama | $114,570 | 190 |
| Maryland | $113,660 | 50 |
| Minnesota | $105,630 | 100 |
| Kentucky | $105,600 | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $105,530 | 50 |
| Missouri | $105,450 | 100 |
| Iowa | $102,980 | n/a |
| Texas | $102,890 | 970 |
| West Virginia | $101,960 | 50 |
| Illinois | $101,470 | 330 |
| Florida | $101,060 | 260 |
| Ohio | $100,320 | 360 |
| Mississippi | $98,960 | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,930 | 560 |
| Nebraska | $98,570 | 240 |
| Arizona | $98,510 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $91,570 | 190 |
| North Carolina | $90,420 | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $83,140 | 40 |
| Virginia | $81,080 | 330 |
| Georgia | $80,560 | 90 |
| Tennessee | $79,910 | 100 |
| New Mexico | $79,580 | 40 |
How to become a power distributor
The path is mostly about getting hired and then training on the job.
- First: finish high school or get an equivalent. This is the typical education for entry, and no work experience in a related occupation is typical[6].
- Next: be ready for a screening test. Employers may use an exam that checks reading, mechanical understanding, spatial ability and math[16]. Employers generally look for a strong background in science and math, especially algebra and trigonometry[17].
- Then: train on the job. Training is long-term, and it typically takes several years onsite to become fully competent[6][18]. Fully qualified workers also take regular training to stay current[18].
Some employers prefer a degree from a college or vocational school[19]. In an O*NET survey of 19 workers, 40% said a post-secondary certificate was required, 24% said an associate's degree and 22% said a high school diploma[20].
Workers in positions that could affect the power grid may need to be certified[21]. Experience as a technician at a power-generating facility can help[22]. The training details here come from a BLS profile that covers a wider group of occupations, not only distributors and dispatchers[23].
What power distributors do
Power distributors and dispatchers coordinate, regulate or distribute electricity or steam[24]. Typical tasks include:
- Working with engineers, planners and field crews to share information such as clearances and switching orders[25].
- Responding to emergencies such as transformer or line failures and rerouting current around the problem[25].
- Monitoring and operating equipment that controls power flow, using data from instruments or computers[25].
- Directing control room staff who run distribution equipment[25].
- Tracking the status of circuits and the flow of power between stations and users[25].
- Preparing switching orders that isolate work areas without causing outages[25].
- Recording switchboard readings to check that equipment runs properly[25].
- Estimating loads to decide on control settings[25].
Job titles reported by workers include power system operator, electric system operator and distribution system dispatcher[26].
Where they work
In the BLS profile for the wider group, utilities were the largest employer, at 69% of jobs in 2025[27]. Workers in control rooms generally sit or stand at a control station, and the work calls for constant attention[28]. Some also do rounds to check equipment outside the control room[28].
Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week[29]. Shifts typically rotate and last 8 or 12 hours[29]. Rotating shifts can be stressful because sleeping and living patterns keep changing[30].
Job outlook
Employment of power distributors and dispatchers is projected to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,600 to 8,700 jobs[2]. That is slower than the 3.5% projected for all occupations[31].
About 700 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings include jobs left by workers who retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.2% of workers leave the labor force and 6.1% move to a different occupation[32].
Better equipment monitoring systems are expected to reduce the need to check equipment, flows and systems by hand[33].
Is it a good fit?
The pay is well above the all-occupation median of $50,980, and the typical entry education is a high school diploma[1][4][6]. The trade-off is long training, since it takes several years onsite to become fully competent[18]. The occupation is small, with about 8,520 jobs, and growth is slower than average[11][2][31]. Rotating shift work can be stressful[30]. The facts here do not say how hard it is to get hired or what training costs.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a power distributor make an hour?
- The median was $51.31 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $53.52[1][7].
- How much does a power distributor make a year?
- The median was $106,730 a year in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $72,440 and the 90th percentile was $154,270[3].
- What degree do you need to be a power distributor?
- The typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, followed by long-term on-the-job training[6].
- Is power distributor work in demand?
- Jobs are projected to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 700 openings a year[2][31][5].
- What is the highest paying state for power distributors?
- Washington had the highest median at $144,710, ahead of New York at $139,390[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Power Distributors and Dispatchers in the US was $106,730 per year and $51.31 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Power Distributors and Dispatchers is projected to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 8,600 to 8,700 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Power Distributors and Dispatchers: 10th percentile $72,440, 25th percentile $90,200, 75th percentile $130,940, 90th percentile $154,270. 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 700 openings for Power Distributors and Dispatchers 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 Power Distributors and Dispatchers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Power Distributors and Dispatchers was $111,320 per year and $53.52 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Power Distributors and Dispatchers: 10th percentile $34.83, 25th percentile $43.37, 75th percentile $62.95, 90th percentile $74.17. 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 8,520 people were employed as Power Distributors and Dispatchers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Power Distributors and Dispatchers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Power Distributors and Dispatchers jobs: Texas 970; California 670; Pennsylvania 560; Michigan 450; Massachusetts 390. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Power Distributors and Dispatchers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $173,120; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $155,690; Birmingham, AL $138,260; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $134,250; Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $127,180; Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $124,140; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $111,450; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $110,970. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Power Distributors and Dispatchers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 330 (median $106,730); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 330 (median $134,250); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 240 (median $124,140); Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 220 (median $155,690); Pittsburgh, PA 210 (median $102,170); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 180 (median $111,450). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET 51-8012.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: Post-Secondary Certificate 40%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 24%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 22%, Some College Courses 8%, Bachelor's Degree 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Power Plant Operators, Distributors, and Dispatchers" covers Power Distributors and Dispatchers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Power Distributors and Dispatchers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Power Distributors and Dispatchers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 51-8012.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Control Area Operator, Control Operator, Dispatcher, Distribution System Dispatcher (DSD), DSO (Distribution System Operator), Electric System Operator, Power System Dispatcher, Power System Operator. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of power plant operators, distributors, and dispatchers in 2025: Utilities 69%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Power Distributors and Dispatchers: 2.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Power Distributors and Dispatchers: Productivity change - share decreases as improved equipment monitoring systems reduce the need to manually check equipment, flows, and systems. 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.