Iowa · 2026 pay · 26 people
How much does an utility plant operator make in Iowa?
$74,598typical pay for a utility plant operator in 2026
$59,201 – $82,732what most people earned
Includes everyone paid during 2026, including part-year workers. Typical pay fell 0.9% from 2025.
✓ Official data from Iowa Department of Administrative Services · Matches the agency's latest release · data.iowa.gov ↗
Where utility plant operators work
Typical pay at each employer, 2026 (everyone paid).
Pay by level
Levels with 5 or more people.
- Utility Plant Operator I8 people$47,358
- Utility Plant Operator II6 people$76,853
- Utility Plant Operator III12 people$82,373
Highest-paid utility plant operators, 2026
- 1Garcia, Gerardo SegoviaUtility Plant Operator III · Iowa State University$104,776
- 2Holland, JohnUtility Plant Operator III · Iowa State University$93,398
- 3White, Rusty LenUtility Plant Operator III · Iowa State University$87,216
- 4Conrad, Howard HughesUtility Plant Operator II · Iowa State University$85,585
- 5Egger, CalvinUtility Plant Operator III · Iowa State University$84,455
Common questions
How much does an utility plant operator make in Iowa?
The typical utility plant operator was paid $74,598 in 2026; most earned between $59,201 and $82,732. This counts all 26 people paid, including part-year workers.
Which job titles are included?
Everyone whose payroll title is Utility Plant Operator, at any level (for example "Utility Plant Operator I"). Part-time-schedule titles (such as "20 hours") are left out. Senior, supervising and trainee titles have their own pages.
Job titles are written out in full from the payroll's abbreviations (for example "SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR" → "Senior Correctional Police Officer"). "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this