# Power Distributors and Dispatchers

> Coordinate, regulate, or distribute electricity or steam.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/power-distributors-and-dispatchers
- SOC code: 51-8012.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $106,730 (10th percentile $72,440, 90th percentile $154,270)
- Projected growth: Slower than average, +1.2%
- Openings a year: 700
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 70 |
| Investigative (I) | 24 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 16 |
| Enterprising (E) | 35 |
| Conventional (C) | 69 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 93/100)
- Getting Information (importance 93/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 90/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 88/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 87/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 87/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 84/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 83/100)
- Processing Information (importance 82/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 82/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Writing

## Knowledge

English Language, Public Safety and Security, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Telecommunications, Engineering and Technology, Customer and Personal Service, Mechanical, Education and Training, Physics

## Also called

Auxiliary Operator, Board Operator, Control Area Operator, Control Board Operator, Control Operator, Control Room Operator, Dispatcher, Distribution A Class Lineman, Distribution Lineman, Distribution Operator

## Related careers

- [Power Plant Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/power-plant-operators): $102,040 median pay
- [Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electrical-and-electronics-repairers-powerhouse-substation-and-relay): $103,020 median pay
- [Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/stationary-engineers-and-boiler-operators): $78,620 median pay
- [Hydroelectric Plant Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/hydroelectric-plant-technicians): $102,040 median pay
- [Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/electrical-and-electronics-repairers-commercial-and-industrial-equipment): $74,090 median pay
- [Gas Plant Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/gas-plant-operators): $87,820 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.