Best-Paying Jobs in Utilities (May 2025 BLS Wage Data)
- The median wage across all jobs in utilities was $101,010 in May 2025, above the $50,980 median for all U.S. jobs.
- The sector employed about 598,000 wage and salary workers.
- Its best-paid large occupation was architectural and engineering managers, at a median of $170,460.
Pay depends on what you do and on who you do it for. This breakdown uses the BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025 (NAICS sector 22: Utilities) to show which jobs pay best in utilities, which jobs are open to people without a four-year degree, and what the most common jobs pay. Education levels come from BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Highest-paying jobs in the sector
Occupations with at least 5,000 jobs in the sector, ranked by median annual wage. The last column is the median for the same job across all industries (from the national cross-industry estimates).
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | All-industry median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $170,460 | 5,090 | $171,270 |
| General and Operations Managers | $159,000 | 16,960 | $105,770 |
| Project Management Specialists | $130,760 | 12,550 | $102,320 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $127,990 | 10,480 | $74,450 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $126,380 | 24,410 | $79,860 |
| Electrical Engineers | $124,600 | 22,270 | $120,630 |
| Management Analysts | $112,960 | 6,120 | $101,860 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $107,700 | 5,550 | $79,920 |
| Electricians | $106,640 | 8,980 | $63,190 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $105,750 | 13,280 | $103,020 |
Best-paying jobs here without a bachelor’s degree
Occupations where BLS lists a high school diploma, certificate, some college or an associate’s degree as typical for entry:
| Occupation | Sector median | Jobs in sector | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $127,990 | 10,480 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $126,380 | 24,410 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $107,700 | 5,550 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electricians | $106,640 | 8,980 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $105,750 | 13,280 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $105,450 | 5,570 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Power Plant Operators | $105,210 | 20,400 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $103,060 | 65,310 | High school diploma or equivalent |
The most common jobs in the sector
| Occupation | Median | Jobs | Share of sector jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers | $103,060 | 65,310 | 10.92% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $58,460 | 27,180 | 4.55% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | $126,380 | 24,410 | 4.08% |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | $91,540 | 22,280 | 3.73% |
| Electrical Engineers | $124,600 | 22,270 | 3.72% |
| Power Plant Operators | $105,210 | 20,400 | 3.41% |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $58,410 | 17,880 | 2.99% |
| General and Operations Managers | $159,000 | 16,960 | 2.84% |
What this means for your pay
- Same job, different industry, different pay. Compare the sector median with the all-industry median for your job. If your sector pays below the national figure, the same skills may earn more elsewhere.
- Medians, not starting pay. Half of workers earn more than the median and half less; new hires usually start lower.
- Base wages only. OEWS excludes overtime, tips and most bonuses, so jobs with heavy overtime often pay more in practice.
Published October 28, 2026. Sources are linked in the text.
Header image: original chart by JobPayRaise.com using BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Comments (1)
For contrast, from the same survey: the lowest-paid occupation in this sector with at least 20,000 jobs was customer service representatives, at a median of $58,460 ($28.11 an hour) across 27,180 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS industry data, May 2025.
— JobPayRaise Data Desk