Biomass Plant Technicians Career, Salary and Skills
Biomass Plant Technicians have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $102,040 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 29,320. Wage data is published for 164 locations.
Occupation description
Control and monitor biomass plant activities and perform maintenance as needed.
O*NET code
51-8013.03
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$102,040
Hourly median
$49.06
Employment
29,320
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Operation and Control | 3.88 | 3.50 |
| Monitoring | 3.38 | 3.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Learning | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Perform tests of water chemistry in boilers.
- Operate high-pressure steam boiler or water chiller equipment for electrical cogeneration operations.
- Operate equipment to heat biomass, using knowledge of controls, combustion, and firing mechanisms.
- Operate equipment to start, stop, or regulate biomass-fueled generators, generator units, boilers, engines, or auxiliary systems.
- Inspect biomass power plant or processing equipment, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.
- Record or report operational data, such as readings on meters, instruments, and gauges.
- Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust production of biofuels or biomass-fueled power.
- Operate biomass fuel-burning boiler or biomass fuel gasification system equipment in accordance with specifications or instructions.
Technology
- Distributed control system DCS
- Energy analysis software
- Inventory control software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- National Instruments LabVIEW
Biomass Plant Technicians salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in CAMedian $105,210 · Employment 2,610
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in TXMedian $102,510 · Employment 2,100
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in NYMedian $106,990 · Employment 1,960
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in FLMedian $94,290 · Employment 1,640
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in MIMedian $105,820 · Employment 1,220
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in INMedian $107,000 · Employment 1,190
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in ILMedian $104,440 · Employment 1,160
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in New York, NYMedian $131,770 · Employment 1,090
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in PAMedian $95,800 · Employment 1,010
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in MNMedian $94,390 · Employment 970
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in MAMedian $100,140 · Employment 880
- Biomass Plant Technicians Salary in ALMedian $107,080 · Employment 790
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.