Compare A Computer Repair Technician ↔ B Power Plant Operator
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3 moves · +$57,030 a year, Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
Gates on this route
- Move 1, to Field Radio Technician: license not checked yet.
- Move 2, to Power System Dispatcher: license depends on the work (Texas: no state electrician license for work on equipment controlled by an electric utility, co-op or power generation company (1305.003(a)(5)); the same work for a contractor needs a TDLR license).
- Move 3, to Power Plant Operator: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
Move 1 Transfer move to the side
Computer Repair Technician to Field Radio Technician +$32,430 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- Skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.86 (one of the 3 most similar occupations, r >= 0.6).
- Gates: license not checked yet.
Move 2 Transfer move to the side
Field Radio Technician to Power System Dispatcher +$24,980 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Power Distributors and Dispatchers as a related occupation (Primary-Long); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.74 (O*NET related occupation beyond the 6 drawn laterals).
- Gates: license depends on the work (Texas: no state electrician license for work on equipment controlled by an electric utility, co-op or power generation company (1305.003(a)(5)); the same work for a contractor needs a TDLR license).
Move 3 Transfer move to the side
Power System Dispatcher to Power Plant Operator -$380 Texas medians of each whole occupation, all experience levels
- O*NET lists Power Plant Operators as a related occupation (Primary-Short); skills and knowledge profile similarity r = 0.73.
- Gates checked: no degree, license or hours gate found (O*NET 31.0 and the licensing agencies checked for this job).
- Skills to build: Equipment Maintenance, Repairing, Operation and Control
Side by side
All Power Plant Operators: Texas median $102,510, $57,030 more a year than all Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers ($45,480), every experience level.
Power Plant Operator: 78% work more than 40 hours a week, about 4.2 times the share for Computer Repair Technician (19%).
Occupation-wide pay all experience levels, not this level's pay; Texas median, base pay, $0 to $300k
Gates on the route: Field Radio Technician: license not checked yet; Power System Dispatcher: license depends on the work (Texas: no state electrician license for work on equipment controlled by an electric utility, co-op or power generation company (1305.003(a)(5)); the same work for a contractor needs a TDLR license).
Outlook 2024 to 2034 whole occupation
A +7.4% Texas, 790 openings a year
B -13.2% Texas, 150 openings a year
Over 40 h a week
Physical load our index from O*NET, 1 to 5; A B; largest differences first
2.2 / 5+1.03.2 / 5
- High places+2.98High places: A 1.26, B 4.24
- Hazardous equipment+2.46Hazardous equipment: A 1.59, B 4.05
- Hazardous conditions+2.33Hazardous conditions: A 2.27, B 4.6
- Outdoors, all weather+1.86Outdoors, all weather: A 2.25, B 4.11
- Protective gear+1.78Protective gear: A 1.1, B 2.88
Degree
A Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 17% do).
B Most people in this job do not hold a bachelor's degree (O*NET: 13% do).
License
A No license for this job title at the 8 Texas and federal licensing agencies read on 2026-10-03 (TDLR, TSBPE, TCEQ, TCFP, TEA, TBPELS, NRC and EPA).
B Texas: no state electrician license for work on equipment controlled by an electric utility, co-op or power generation company (1305.003(a)(5)); the same work for a contractor needs a TDLR license.
Experience
A Most common related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (O*NET: 40%).
B Most common related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (O*NET: 47%).
Skills O*NET importance, 1 to 5
You likely have: 6
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Complex Problem Solving
- Monitoring
- Judgment and Decision Making
To build: 2
- Operation and Control +1.13
- Operations Monitoring +0.88
Make this your goal
Save Computer Repair Technician to Power Plant Operator as your goal. Each step then shows the hours you have logged toward it, your exam practice and your license, with the one thing to do next and the 2 skills to build as a checklist. Free with an account.
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