Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-8012

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Median pay sits 57% above the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Tool and Die Makers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Power Distributors and Dispatchers: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Tool and Die Makers ($64K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Power Distributors and Dispatchers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-8012 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching order…
  2. 2. Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas
  3. 3. Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers
  4. 4. Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to s…
  5. 5. Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keepin…
  6. 6. Manipulate controls to adjust or activate power distribution equipment or machines
  7. 7. Prepare switching orders that will isolate work areas without causing power outages, referring to drawings of power systems
  8. 8. Monitor and record switchboard or control board readings to ensure that electrical or steam distribution equipment is operating properly
  9. 9. Implement energy schedules, including real-time transmission reservations or schedules
  10. 10. Calculate load estimates or equipment requirements to determine required control settings
  11. 11. Inspect equipment to ensure that specifications are met or to detect any defects
  12. 12. Track conditions that could affect power needs, such as changes in the weather, and adjust equipment to meet any anticipated changes

Power Distributors and Dispatchers: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-8012 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 3.6 ; lead knowledge English Language. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 3.6
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.6
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.6
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.6
  5. 5. Speaking 3.5
  6. 6. Complex Problem Solving 3.3
  7. 7. Operations Monitoring 3.3
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.3

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. English Language 3.9
  2. 2. Public Safety and Security 3.7
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.5
  4. 4. Computers and Electronics 3.5
  5. 5. Telecommunications 3.5
  6. 6. Engineering and Technology 3.5
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
+57%
vs mid peer median $68,120
This role $106,730/yr
$107K
National median
↓ -3%
Growth 2024-2034
800
Annual openings
8,520
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Power Distributors and Dispatchers

1. New York $139,390
2. Idaho $136,550
3. Nevada $138,300
4. Indiana $129,080
5. New Jersey $128,220
6. South Dakota $130,270
7. California $137,570
8. Oregon $137,490
9. Washington $144,710
10. Maine $121,520

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  2. 2. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  3. 3. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  4. 4. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  5. 5. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  6. 6. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Power Distributors and Dispatchers sits 57% above the mid peer median ($68,120). Its own median is $106,730.

Employment Projections expect -3% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 800 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: New York at $139,390. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Power Distributors and Dispatchers pay-rank #2 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Power Distributors and Dispatchers is pay-rank #2, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Power Distributors and Dispatchers pays 57% above its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Power Distributors and Dispatchers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-8012

New York · top state for Power Distributors and Dispatchers

$139K published median

Idaho · #2 state pay

$137K · behind New York

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Power Distributors and Dispatchers · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers · $62K

Compare Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Power Distributors and Dispatchers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Power Distributors and Dispatchers at the top of the pay table? ▼
Power Distributors and Dispatchers is pay-rank #2 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Power Plant Operators ($102K), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K), Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K), Gas Plant Operators ($88K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do power distributors and dispatchers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Power Distributors and Dispatchers. Leading ones include: Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching order…; Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas; Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers; Direct personnel engaged in controlling or operating distribution equipment or machinery, such as instructing control room operators to s…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for power distributors and dispatchers? ▼
For SOC 51-8012, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (3.6), Active Listening (3.6), Critical Thinking (3.6), Monitoring (3.6). Knowledge areas emphasize English Language, Public Safety and Security, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Power Distributors and Dispatchers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $106,730 as the national median for Power Distributors and Dispatchers. The published 10th-90th range is $72,440 to $154,270. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Power Distributors and Dispatchers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Power Distributors and Dispatchers is -3%. Projected annual openings: about 800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Power Distributors and Dispatchers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Power Distributors and Dispatchers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Power Distributors and Dispatchers? ▼
New York ($139,390), Idaho ($136,550), Nevada ($138,300) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Power Distributors and Dispatchers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-8012. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Power Distributors and Dispatchers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics