Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician Salary
This is the Data Center Headhunters salary guide.
BLS does not measure Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician as its own occupation, so this page uses Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (SOC 51-8021, closest proxy). The median annual wage in the United States was $78,620 (BLS, May 2025), and the middle half earned $63,160 to $101,150.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
Closest proxy
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
National pay range
| Point | Annual wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,590 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $63,160 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $78,620 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $101,150 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $125,390 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $83,960 | Average wage. |
| Point | Hourly wage | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24.32 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $30.37 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median | $37.8 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $48.63 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $60.28 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $40.37 | Average wage. |
What BLS wages include: base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. What they leave out: overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-8021 Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, United States. View this release at BLS.
Pay relative to all occupations
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| This occupation, median | $78,620 |
| All occupations (SOC 00-0000), median | $50,980 |
| Relative wage | 1.54 times |
A ratio of 1.00 means the same median as all workers in the area. It is arithmetic on two BLS medians, not a BLS statistic.
Pay in industries that hire this occupation
| Industry (BLS name) | NAICS | Employment | Share of occupation | Median | P25 to P75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Facilities Support Services | 561200 | 910 | 3.2% | $87,010 | $71,410 to $102,000 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | 550 | 1.9% | $79,660 | $73,090 to $84,730 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | 450 | 1.6% | Not published by BLS | Not published by BLS to Not published by BLS |
| Engineering Services | 541330 | 90 | 0.3% | $93,830 | $78,980 to $108,050 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | 90 | 0.3% | $93,830 | $78,980 to $108,050 |
These national industry rows cover privately owned establishments. Industry names are exact BLS NAICS titles. Industries overlap, so shares do not sum to 100%. An industry row does not mean the employer runs data centers.
Pay in target metros
| Metro area | Median | P25 to P75 | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $91,480 | $79,430 to $101,520 | 970 | 1.7 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $70,560 | $59,080 to $87,110 | 340 | 0.47 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $83,350 | $75,410 to $115,800 | 40 | 0.09 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $71,850 | $71,150 to $85,570 | 110 | 0.21 |
| Columbus, OH | $79,680 | $65,440 to $82,150 | 120 | 0.6 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,780 | $97,540 to $123,780 | 1,210 | 1.48 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,170 | $86,400 to $148,280 | 210 | 1.04 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $81,250 | $80,050 to $99,470 | 100 | 0.45 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Highest and lowest paying metros
Ranked by published median annual wage among 110 metro areas with an exact median.
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,930 | 980 | 2.27 |
| 2 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $123,170 | 210 | 1.04 |
| 3 | Vallejo, CA | $123,170 | 110 | 4.33 |
| 4 | Springfield, IL | $117,590 | 60 | 3.46 |
| 5 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,780 | 1,210 | 1.48 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $112,250 | 210 | 0.56 |
| 7 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,810 | 3,810 | 2.21 |
| 8 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $103,690 | 50 | 1.03 |
| 9 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $103,380 | 80 | 3.58 |
| 10 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $103,060 | 40 | 0.47 |
| Rank | Metro area | Median | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | Glens Falls, NY | $61,050 | 40 | 4.05 |
| 102 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $60,230 | 110 | 0.53 |
| 103 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $57,320 | 40 | 0.28 |
| 104 | Lubbock, TX | $54,470 | 30 | 1.09 |
| 105 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $54,380 | 50 | 0.78 |
| 106 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $53,640 | 50 | 1.84 |
| 107 | Springfield, MO | $51,090 | 30 | 0.82 |
| 108 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $50,060 | 60 | 0.69 |
| 109 | Baton Rouge, LA | $46,590 | 70 | 0.98 |
| 110 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $43,490 | 30 | 2.22 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Where pay is highest relative to local wages
This compares the occupation's median with the all-occupations median in the same metro and on the same annual basis. It does not adjust for living costs. Only exact published medians are ranked. A top-coded lower bound cannot establish an exact rank.
| Metro | Occupation median | All-occupations median | Ratio | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield, IL | $117,590 | $52,670 | 2.23 times | 60 | 3.46 |
| El Centro, CA | $96,150 | $45,140 | 2.13 times | 40 | 3.42 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $103,690 | $48,990 | 2.12 times | 50 | 1.03 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $115,780 | $54,720 | 2.12 times | 1,210 | 1.48 |
| Vallejo, CA | $123,170 | $58,620 | 2.10 times | 110 | 4.33 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $94,100 | $47,470 | 1.98 times | 110 | 1.8 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $57,320 | $29,440 | 1.95 times | 40 | 0.28 |
| Fresno, CA | $87,140 | $46,910 | 1.86 times | 120 | 1.43 |
| Lima, OH | $85,930 | $47,170 | 1.82 times | 30 | 3.6 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $103,380 | $57,290 | 1.80 times | 80 | 3.58 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $103,060 | $57,220 | 1.80 times | 40 | 0.47 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $87,170 | $48,400 | 1.80 times | 370 | 1.2 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $90,830 | $51,440 | 1.77 times | 30 | 1.06 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $92,420 | $52,510 | 1.76 times | 70 | 1.2 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $85,180 | $48,550 | 1.75 times | 40 | 1.31 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $129,930 | $74,260 | 1.75 times | 980 | 2.27 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $104,810 | $61,430 | 1.71 times | 3,810 | 2.21 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $85,690 | $50,770 | 1.69 times | 70 | 3.38 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $87,700 | $52,080 | 1.68 times | 220 | 0.63 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $99,840 | $59,750 | 1.67 times | 520 | 2.67 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $78,800 | $48,370 | 1.63 times | 30 | 0.24 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $83,350 | $51,380 | 1.62 times | 40 | 0.09 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $79,160 | $49,340 | 1.60 times | 120 | 0.59 |
| Reno, NV | $79,110 | $49,660 | 1.59 times | 50 | 0.94 |
| Mankato, MN | $78,610 | $49,530 | 1.59 times | 40 | 3.62 |
Location quotient measures job concentration, not pay. A value above 1 means the occupation makes up a larger share of local jobs than it does nationally. It says nothing about wages.
Source: BLS OEWS BLS, May 2025, SOC 51-8021 and SOC 00-0000, matching metro areas. The ratio is our arithmetic on those published medians, not a BLS statistic.
Change since the prior BLS release
| Reference period | Median |
|---|---|
| May 2024 | $75,190 |
| May 2025 | $78,620 |
| Difference | +$3,430 (+4.6%) |
Two published BLS values, shown as released. Not annualized, not adjusted for inflation, and BLS metro boundaries and survey panels can differ between releases.
Levels above and below this title
These are different jobs, not experience bands within one occupation. The figures are not a promised raise.
| Title | Relationship | BLS occupation | Median | Against Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Environment Electrician | Same job ladder | 47-2111 Electricians | $63,190 | Lower by $15,430 |
| UPS and Critical Power Technician (site-based) | Same job ladder | 49-2095 Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $103,020 | Higher by $24,400 |
| Maintenance Manager, Critical Facilities | Higher-scope title | 11-3013 Facilities Managers | $106,660 | Higher by $28,040 |
| Senior NOC Technician / NOC Shift Lead | Higher-scope title | 15-1231 Computer Network Support Specialists | $76,220 | Lower by $2,400 |
What is inside the BLS pay figure
For an operations offer, check what the quoted pay already includes. BLS includes on-call pay but excludes shift differentials. Do not add on-call pay twice when comparing the offer.
| Component | In the BLS figure? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate and guaranteed pay | Included | BLS counts the "base rate" and "guaranteed pay". |
| Production and incentive pay | Included | BLS counts "incentive pay including commissions and production bonuses". |
| On-call pay matters here | Included | BLS lists "on-call pay" and "hazardous-duty pay" as wages. |
| Overtime pay | Left out | BLS excludes "overtime pay". Straight-time pay only. |
| Shift differentials matters here | Left out | BLS excludes "shift differentials", so night and weekend premiums are not in the figure. |
| Project-completion and discretionary bonuses | Depends on the terms | Guaranteed pay and production incentives are included. Discretionary nonproduction bonuses are excluded. Check how the payment is defined. |
| Per diem, travel and relocation | Left out | BLS does not name these as wages. They are expense reimbursements and are not in the figure. |
| Benefits and employer costs | Left out | BLS excludes "employer costs for supplementary benefits". |
Recruiter's read
Qualitative, not from BLS data.
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician candidates are usually screened on ePA 608 Universal; chiller, cooling tower and pump operation; BMS sequences and water treatment basics.
We usually find them through hospital and university central plants; stationary engineers; Navy machinist's mate veterans. We contact working people directly rather than relying on job applications.
Questions
What is the median pay for Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician?
The BLS median annual wage for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators nationally is $78,620 (BLS, May 2025).
What range do most Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician earn?
Per BLS, the middle half earned $63,160 to $101,150, and 10% earned less than $50,590.
Is this the exact job title?
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators is the closest occupational proxy based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
How many people are employed in this occupation?
BLS estimates 28,250 jobs nationally in Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators across all industries.
What do BLS wages leave out?
They leave out overtime, shift differentials, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation. Base pay, guaranteed pay, on-call pay and production-based incentive pay are included.
Hiring Market Brief
A one-page brief for Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician: BLS pay, mapping and caveats.
Hiring Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician?
Pay is one input. Scope, license and travel decide whether the person says yes.
Related
- Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician recruiting
- UPS and Critical Power Technician (site-based) salary
- Switchgear and Electrical Distribution Technician salary
- Fuel Systems Technician (diesel storage, day tanks, fuel polishing) salary
- Liquid Cooling Technician (CDU and secondary loops) salary
- Water Treatment Technician (cooling towers, closed loops) salary
- Open data center jobs
- Methodology
What the published rows say about Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States is represented here by Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, SOC 51-8021, in the May 2025 OEWS release. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, data Center Headhunters uses the proxy crosswalk for this title; the occupation row, rather than a separate survey of Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician, supplies the figures on this page. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, the published annual median is $78,620 and the middle-half endpoints are $63,160 and $101,150.
The Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States middle-half band spans $37,990 on the annual basis. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, its lower quarter-to-median distance is $15,460, compared with $22,530 from the median to the upper quarter. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, the upper interval is at least as wide as the other interval in this row. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, for an offer against this Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician crosswalk, these are published reference points, not experience grades; the width does not establish a reason for differences between individual workers.
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States can also be compared with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, where the annual median for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators is $104,810 in May 2025. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, the Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician crosswalk comparison differs by $26,190 from the the United States median.
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States can also be compared with Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, where the annual median for Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators is $74,420 in May 2025. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, this comparison metro is selected by published occupation employment, not by a national geographic distance. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, the Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician crosswalk comparison differs by $4,200 from the the United States median.
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States has no local industry-by-occupation wage breakdown in the loaded OEWS rows. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, the highest published national industry medians loaded for SOC 51-8021 are Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors at $145,950 and Finance and Insurance at $123,160. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, these May 2025 observations describe the national Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators occupation in those industries, not the pay of data center employers in the United States; they cannot support a local industry ranking.
The Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States matched median changed from $75,190 in May 2024 to $78,620 in May 2025, a difference of $3,430 up. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, both observations use SOC 51-8021, area code 99 and the same annual wage basis. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, this Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician comparison reports the released values without adjusting for inflation, annualizing the change or attributing it to a particular employer.
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States uses the OEWS straight-time wage definition, not a complete cost-to-employ budget. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, for an offer mapped to Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, separate overtime, shift differentials and expense reimbursements from the annual figures for the United States; BLS excludes those categories. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, on-call pay, guaranteed pay and production incentives are included under the wage definition. For Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States, no Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician-specific per diem, travel allowance or relocation amount is observed in this row, so this May 2025 page adds no dollar allowance on top.
Questions about Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States
Which BLS row supports Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States?
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician is mapped to SOC 51-8021, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators; the May 2025 the United States annual median is $78,620. The mapping is proxy, not a separate survey of this niche title.
Does the the United States figure show all offer costs for Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician?
Chiller Plant Operator / Central Plant Technician pay in the United States uses straight-time OEWS wages. Overtime and shift differentials are excluded; on-call and guaranteed pay are included. No allowance for travel or relocation is added to this 51-8021 observation.
- chiller plant operator central plant technician new york newark jersey city ny nj
- chiller plant operator central plant technician los angeles long beach anaheim ca
- chiller plant operator central plant technician
- chiller plant operator central plant technician
- methodology
Nearest-area selection uses Census Gazetteer internal points, not road distance. Source: 2025 Census Gazetteer.