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

O*NET skills and knowledge for Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-8012 - entity-keyed; 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.

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

Dive into Power Distributors and Dispatchers in more depth or explore nearby career data.

Full Salary Details

State, metro, and percentile breakdown

Jobs in New York

Top-paying state for this role

Jobs in Idaho

Second-highest state pay

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer · $123K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer · $62K

All Career Cards

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Highest-Paying Rankings

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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

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.
How does Power Distributors and Dispatchers sit next to other Production Occupations titles? ▼
On this card, neighboring same-major-group titles include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Tool and Die Makers, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic. Among those peers, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators holds the highest published national median ($122,890). Plant and System Operators, All Other sits lower at $62,470. Peer titles are hash-ordered per card so adjacent SOC pages do not share an identical ladder.
What is the median salary for Power Distributors and Dispatchers? ▼
The median salary for Power Distributors and Dispatchers is $106,730 per year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 OEWS data). This means half of workers in this occupation earn more and half earn less. The full range is $72,440 (10th percentile) to $154,270 (90th percentile). For context beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this role's median is the OEWS national figure above.
Is Power Distributors and Dispatchers a growing occupation? ▼
The BLS projects -3% employment change for Power Distributors and Dispatchers from 2024 to 2034. There are approximately 800 projected annual openings. This is declining relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%.
What education do you need to become a power distributors and dispatchers? ▼
BLS assigns Power Distributors and Dispatchers to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. These occupation-level categories are not requirements for every employer or worker.
Which states pay power distributors and dispatchers the most? ▼
The highest published state medians in this ranking for Power Distributors and Dispatchers are New York ($139,390), Idaho ($136,550), Nevada ($138,300). The table does not identify why 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

All federal data sources used on this page
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - wage estimates by area + occupation. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - occupation task statements (importance-ranked). onetcenter.org
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) - quarterly employment and wage totals by industry. bls.gov/cew
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for metro/state aggregates. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) - monthly nonfarm payroll baselines. bls.gov/ces
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context. irs.gov/statistics
  • BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) - unemployment context for labor-market comparisons. bls.gov/lau