Best institutions to study Power Plant Technology/Technician
A program that prepares individuals to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills in support of engineers engaged in the operation and maintenance of electricity generating power plants.
5 U.S. institutions graduated 74 Power Plant Technology/Technician students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 15.1702, a specialization of Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians (CIP 15.17), and leads most directly to the Power Plant Operators occupation (BLS SOC 51-8013).
About Power Plant Technology/Technician programs
A program that prepares individuals to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills in support of engineers engaged in the operation and maintenance of electricity generating power plants. Includes instruction in basic electricity, electrical power, generator operations, industrial controls, power plant instrumentation, power plant theory, pollution control, reactor theory, thermodynamics, turbines, and water chemistry.
See also: 14.4802 - Power Plant Engineering.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Power Plant Technology/Technician program prepares individuals to support engineers in the operation and maintenance of electricity-generating power plants. This program is ideal for those interested in applying engineering principles and technical skills in a dynamic energy sector. With a focus on practical training, students learn to manage and monitor power plant systems effectively.
Students in this program gain essential skills in areas such as basic electricity, power plant theory, thermodynamics, and pollution control. Coursework also covers generator operations, industrial controls, and water chemistry, equipping graduates with a comprehensive understanding of energy systems technologies.
Credentials awarded
What Power Plant Technology/Technician graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Associate's degree39 graduates / yr · 4 institutions53%
- Bachelor's degree23 graduates / yr · 1 institution31%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year12 graduates / yr · 1 institution16%
Graduates over time
Power Plant Technology/Technician completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 48 |
| 2021 | 101 |
| 2022 | 82 |
| 2023 | 95 |
| 2024 | 84 |
| 2025 | 74 |
CIP 15.1702 was introduced in CIP 2020, so the series starts when institutions began reporting under the new code.
Top 5 institutions for Power Plant Technology/Technician, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine Maritime Academy Castine, MEPublicBachelor's | 23 | 58% | — | — |
| 2 | Flint Hills Technical College Emporia, KSPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic yearAssociate's | 19 | 68% | — | — |
| 3 | Williamson College of the Trades Media, PAPrivate not-for-profitAssociate's | 19 | 83% | $1,421 | — |
| 4 | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology Okmulgee, OKPublicAssociate's | 9 | 42% | — | — |
| 5 | Excelsior University Albany, NYPrivate not-for-profitAssociate's | 4 | — | — | $110,398 |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians field (CIP 15.17) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 5 states
Where Power Plant Technology/Technician graduates come from. Each state links to all Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 1 | 23 | Maine Maritime Academy23 / yr |
| Kansas | 1 | 19 | Flint Hills Technical College19 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 19 | Williamson College of the Trades19 / yr |
| Oklahoma | 1 | 9 | Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology9 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 4 | Excelsior University4 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 51-8013, Power Plant Operators, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Power Plant Technology/Technician program can pursue careers as Power Plant Operators and other related positions. The job outlook indicates a decline of 11.2%, with approximately 2,500 annual openings. The median wage for these roles is $99,670, and typically requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 15.1702
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Power Plant Operatorsprimary SOC 51-8013 | $102,040 | -11.2% Decline | ~2,500 | High school diploma or equivalent |
Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other SOC 17-3029 | $78,350 | +1.5% Little or no change | ~5,700 | Associate's degree |
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay SOC 49-2095 | $103,020 | +5.5% Faster than average | ~2,000 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- 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.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Power Plant Technology/Technician programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Control generator output to match the phase, frequency, or voltage of electricity supplied to panels.
- Take regulatory action, based on readings from charts, meters and gauges, at established intervals.
- Control power generating equipment, including boilers, turbines, generators, or reactors, using control boards or semi-automatic equipment.
- Start or stop generators, auxiliary pumping equipment, turbines, or other power plant equipment as necessary.
- Monitor power plant equipment and indicators to detect evidence of operating problems.
- Operate or maintain distributed power generation equipment, including fuel cells or microturbines, to produce energy on-site for manufacturing or other commercial purposes.
Tools and technology used
Other Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians specializations
The 6 other 6-digit CIP codes under Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians (CIP 15.17).
- Energy Systems Technology/CIP 15.1701
Technician 681 graduates / yr76 institutions - Solar Energy Technology/CIP 15.1703
Technician 312 graduates / yr33 institutions - Wind Energy Technology/CIP 15.1704
Technician partial data47 graduates / yr7 institutions - Energy Systems Technologies/CIP 15.1799
Technicians limited data2 graduates / yr1 institutions
Show 2 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Hydroelectric Energy Technology/
Technician15.1705 - Geothermal Energy Technology/
Technician15.1706
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degree do I earn from this program?+
You can earn an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop critical thinking, active listening, monitoring, and mechanical knowledge.
What careers can I pursue after graduation?+
You can work as a Power Plant Operator or in related engineering technology roles.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook shows a decline of 11.2%, with around 2,500 annual openings.
What is the CIP code for Power Plant Technology/Technician?+
Power Plant Technology/Technician is CIP 15.1702 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians (CIP 15.17). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills in support of engineers engaged in the operation and maintenance of electricity generating power plants. Includes instruction in basic electricity, electrical power, generator operations, industrial controls, power plant instrumentation, power plant theory, pollution control, reactor theory, thermodynamics, turbines, and water chemistry.
How many institutions offer Power Plant Technology/Technician programs?+
5 U.S. institutions reported Power Plant Technology/Technician graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 5 states, awarding 74 credentials in the year. That is 6.6% of all Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians graduates.
How much do Power Plant Technology/Technician graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Power Plant Operators occupation, which Power Plant Technology/Technician most directly leads to, pays a median of $102,040 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians field report median earnings of $110,398 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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