Public utility companies operate to provide energy services to the local community, including electric power, water, and gas to customers. The best-paying jobs in public utilities pay over $120,000 per year, on average. These careers extend to a variety of professions and are a viable option for workers at any level in their careers.
Quickstart Guide To Landing A High-Paying Public Utilities Job
- Update your resume. Start by updating your resume. You can work with a resume writing service for some extra help. Investing a little money to have a professional resume writing service polish up your resume can be the edge you need.
- Join a like-minded community. A new career path is exciting, but it can also be daunting. That's where finding a supportive community comes in. Join The UnBREAKable Community where you'll find a network to exchange ideas, find mentorship, and gain inspiration.
- Start applying for jobs on ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is a free job posting site for job seekers and you can apply for jobs with one click! ZipRecruiter also allows you to upload your resume to their resume database so that recruiters and employers can find you!
Discover Your Dream Job Find jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
What Are Public Utilities?
Public utilities are the local public services made available for purchase to community residents.
In addition to services like electricity, gas, and water/sewer services, public utilities also include public transportation, pipelines, and telephone services. The revenue created by public utility services goes toward public improvements like:
- Payments in lieu of taxes
- Job creation
- Supporting local causes
14 Of Best Paying Jobs In Public Utilities
1. Water Treatment Plant Operator
Median National Salary: $51,600/year
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent
Number of Jobs: 124,800
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: -6% (Decline)
Job Duties: Water treatment plant operators work in water treatment plants to manage the equipment, operations, and processes required for water treatment.
The job duties of a water treatment plant operator may include:
- Managing the machinery and equipment required to treat water
- Purifying and treating water for human consumption
2. Wind Turbine Technician
Median National Salary: $57,320/year
Education Required: Vocational school
Number of Jobs: 11,200
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 45% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Wind turbine technicians work on wind turbines. This includes installing, monitoring, and servicing wind turbine equipment.
This career is one of the best entry-level jobs on this list. A college degree is not required and you don’t need experience. You can attend a vocational school/trade school or work for a company that offers on-the-job training.
The job duties of a wind turbine technician are to perform service work on wind turbines, as needed.
3. Electrician
Median National Salary: $60,240/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 762,600
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 6% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: An electrician does the repair, maintenance, and installation of electrical power for customers. Electricians do dangerous work since they work on electrical equipment.
This is one of the more hazardous jobs, as you’ll be exposed to potential accidents like slips, falls, electrical burns, fires or explosions, exposure to radiation, and other hazards.
Electricians can work in a lifelong career that can come with many perks so you’ll want to measure the risks against the rewards to see if this career is worth it.
The job duties of an electrician are to:
- Install and maintain electricity services
- Service communications and lighting systems
If you want to learn more about becoming an electrician, learn how to write an electrician resume and check out our electrician job description.
4. Plumber
Median National Salary: $60,090/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 482,700
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 2% (As fast as average)
Job Duties: Plumbers install, repair, and maintain plumbing equipment. Consumers may employ a plumber for tasks like snaking a shower drain, unclogging a toilet, or fixing a leaky faucet, among other work.
Plumbing is a dirty business so you’ll want to be prepared for that. It’s physically demanding work with occupational risks like exposure to carcinogens, exposure to potential accidents, and getting injured but, the benefits may offset the risk:
- Affordable education to start in this industry (apprenticeship or trade school)
- You can earn a good living
- Advancement opportunities
- Work that’s not boring
The job duties of a plumber include:
- Installing and repairing plumbing equipment like pipes, toilets, sink faucets, etc.
- Assembling and maintaining pipes, sprinklers, and drainage systems
- Cleaning plumbing systems
If you want to become a plumber, start by updating your plumber resume.
5. Admin
Median National Salary: $44,080/year
Education Required: High school diploma
Number of Jobs: 3,399,200
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: -10% (Decline)
Job Duties: Admin professionals in the public utility industry work on administrative tasks. If you have admin skills, you can work across many industries, not just public utilities. Here are some examples of the work tasks you might do:
- Answering phones
- Scheduling meetings
- Note-taking
- Making faxes
- Greet customers and answer general questions
This career declined in growth, as more organizations are moving toward cheaper administrative options like virtual assistants, SAAS software, and other tools and resources.
Administrative workers perform clerical work in office settings. They help keep the office running smoothly, doing tasks like organizing and managing files, answering phones and emails, greeting customers, and answering general questions, among other job duties.
6. Power Systems Engineer
Median National Salary: $104,610/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 299,700
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 5% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: Power systems engineering work falls into the electrical engineering career field. Some examples of work you’ll do in this role include:
- Analyzing and optimizing power transmission systems
- Studying power systems and doing power line testing
- Data collection from suppliers, subcontractors, and other parties
This job is considered one of the best jobs in public utilities, top-ranked for career opportunity and work-life balance.
Power systems engineers work on the management, study, analysis, and maintenance of power transmission systems and processes.
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7. Nuclear Licensing Engineer
Median National Salary: $122,480/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 13,800
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 1% (Little or no change)
Job Duties: A nuclear licensing engineer checks and analyzes nuclear power plant systems. Their goal is to manage the use of benefits that come from nuclear energy.
The job duties of a nuclear licensing engineer are to help manage the effects of nuclear energy and radiation. They ensure nuclear equipment meets the minimum safety checks and standards.
This career is expected to decline in job growth by 2030, as many nuclear jobs are. Green technologies using wind, solar, and hydroelectric energy are replacing these careers.
If this position ever becomes obsolete in the future, transitioning to a green energy career is possible.
8. Senior Electrical Engineer
Median National Salary: $124,503/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 299,700
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 5% (Faster than average)
Job Duties: Senior electrical engineers are responsible for the:
- Design, creation, maintenance, and repair of electrical components and machines.
- Leading the electrical engineering team
- Supervising work duties
- Providing mentorship to apprentices
- Reporting
Senior electrical engineers work in a leadership capacity, overseeing the electrical engineer team and designing and developing machinery for use by the organization.
9. Power Plant Engineer
Median National Salary: $97,570/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 47,300
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: -10% (Decline)
Job Duties: Power plant engineers manage the day-to-day activities of the power plant.
While this is one of the top-paid jobs in public utilities and it can come with excellent benefits, the work of a power plant engineer can be demanding. The work can be complex and if you’re new to the industry, expect to be trained over the long term (years), before you’re considered fully qualified, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Power plant engineers control the systems and processes that distribute electric power.
10. Utility Engineer
Median National Salary: $96,310/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 286,100
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 10% (Much faster than average)
Job Duties: Utility engineers have a background in mechanical or civil engineering. They design and develop utility systems, and identify and repair breakdowns in the system.
Utility engineers are engineering professionals in the utility industry. They design, develop, build, maintain, and repair utility systems like water, sewer, gas, etc.
Engineering is an ever-changing career field. If you can adapt to change well and you’re prepared for challenging work that will push you to develop your critical thinking, working as a utility engineer might be an ideal choice.
11. Energy Underwriter
Median National Salary: $83,662/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Number of Jobs: 125,500
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: -2% (Decline)
Job Duties: An energy underwriter is responsible for assessing and evaluating risks associated with energy-related insurance policies, such as oil and gas exploration, renewable energy projects, and power generation facilities. They must be knowledgeable about energy industry regulations, trends, and risks, and use analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and address technical issues, while ensuring that the policies meet industry standards and legal requirements.
12. Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer
Median National Salary: $115,957/year
Education Required: Bachelor’s degree
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 1% (Little or no change)
Job Duties: A nuclear criticality safety engineer is responsible for designing and evaluating methods of transportation, handling, and storage of nuclear fuel to prevent an accident such as a nuclear reaction. They must be knowledgeable about nuclear safety regulations and use analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and address technical issues related to nuclear criticality safety, while ensuring that the equipment and facilities meet safety and environmental standards.
13. Power System Dispatcher
Median National Salary: $107,418/year
Education Required: High school diploma or equivalent. You also may need to complete an apprenticeship in electrical dispatching or electric utility operations.
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 1% (Little or no change)
Job Duties: The role of a power system dispatcher involves overseeing the allocation of electricity to both residential and commercial consumers, as well as power providers. To ensure smooth operation, a power system dispatcher must monitor generator systems and determine the required amount of electricity for each day. During extreme weather conditions, such as heat waves or snowstorms, it is essential for a power system dispatcher to exercise discretion. Additionally, a power system dispatcher must respond promptly to reports of shortages or repairs and coordinate the dispatch of crews to fix any issues.
14. Energy Consultant
Median National Salary: $69,885/year
Education Required: High school diploma and a postsecondary professional certificate.
Job Growth 2022 – 2032: 1% (Little or no change)
Job Duties: An energy consultant is responsible for analyzing energy usage and developing strategies to reduce energy consumption and costs for businesses, organizations, and individuals. They must be knowledgeable about energy efficiency technologies and regulations, and use analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and address technical issues, while ensuring that the solutions meet the needs and specifications of the client.
Requirements And Skills To Work In Public Utilities
There are job-specific requirements that you should consider, based on the career you’re working toward but, in general, these soft skills are great assets to have across any job in the field:
- Excellent communication: Being able to communicate well with others and practice excellent active listening skills.
- Emotional intelligence: Being aware of others’ emotions and being able to consider others’ feelings and manage interpersonal relationships.
- Ability to work independently and in team settings: The ability to pivot between independent and team-based work with ease.
Pros and Cons of Public Utilities Careers
Pros
The pros of working in a public utility career include:
- Job stability: Public utilities have been around for hundreds of years. They are a staple in our society and will continue to be available to serve the local community.
- Career advancement: There are opportunities for upward mobility.
- Work-life balance: Separating work life from home life is possible with public utility careers. Generally, you can’t take work home with you and many positions are designed around a standard 9-to-5 schedule which means you’ll have nights and weekends off to spend time with your family.
Cons
The cons of working in public utilities include:
- Potentially hazardous working conditions: Some jobs may come with work hazards.
- Less than ideal working conditions: Some careers will require you to work in dirty conditions due to the job, like sewage treatment facilities, sewer systems, etc.
- Physically demanding work: Some careers are physically demanding, requiring fieldwork, travel, and working outdoors.
Best Places To Find The Best-Paying Jobs In Public Utilities
You can find public utility jobs through online job search websites and career banks.
Before starting your job hunt, you’ll want to prep your resume. We recommend checking out this list of the best resume services. These resume service companies can help you tailor your resume for a job in public utilities. This is an easy way of outsourcing resume creation to professionals so you can focus on finding your career.
Here are the three best job search sites to start with:
Online Job Posting Sites
Start by checking out online job posting sites. Our top pick is ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is a popular job search engine that you can use for finding public utilities jobs and careers in virtually any industry. The site is easy-to-use and you can browse it to search for jobs, read employee reviews, and read about salaries.
For more information, check out our ZipRecruiter review.
Discover Your Dream Job Find jobs near you and apply with 1 click! New jobs posted daily.
Niche Job Sites
Job seekers looking for high-paying jobs in public utilities can start by searching on niche job sites that specialize in the energy and utilities industry. These sites often have job postings from the top companies in the field and can provide access to exclusive job openings. Some popular niche job sites for the utilities industry include Energy Central, and Power Jobs.
Career Fairs
Attending career fairs is another way for job seekers to connect with top companies in the public utilities industry. Career fairs offer the opportunity to meet recruiters face-to-face, learn about job openings, and network with other professionals in the field. Job seekers can find career fairs through their local job center or by searching online for industry-specific events.
Company Websites
Job seekers can also find high-paying jobs in public utilities by checking the career pages of top companies in the industry. Many companies have job listings on their websites and offer information about the company culture, benefits, and career development opportunities. Job seekers can also sign up for email alerts to be notified of new job openings.
Professional Associations
Joining a professional association in the public utilities industry can provide job seekers with access to job listings, networking events, and industry news. Some popular associations for the utilities industry include the American Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, and the American Water Works Association.
Social Media
Job seekers can use social media platforms like LinkedIn to connect with recruiters and hiring managers in the public utilities industry. LinkedIn allows job seekers to create a professional profile, search for job openings, and connect with other professionals in the field. Job seekers can also follow companies and industry influencers to stay up-to-date on industry news and trends.
The Bottom Line
The public utility industry is a career field worth considering. From the competitive salary and benefits package to stable employment, and more, it’s a solid choice for a career.
Once you’ve chosen a career path in public utilities, visit ZipRecruiter to start your job search!
