Careers / Meter Readers, Utilities
Meter Readers, Utilities — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$48,150
United States, 2025
Employment
19,430
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam.
- O*NET code
- 43-5041.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers.
- Upload into office computers all information collected on hand-held computers during meter rounds, or return route books or hand-held computers to business offices so that data can be compiled.
- Walk or drive vehicles along established routes to take readings of meter dials.
- Verify readings in cases where consumption appears to be abnormal, and record possible reasons for fluctuations.
- Install new or replace broken meters.
- Inspect meters for unauthorized connections, defects, and damage, such as broken seals.
- Perform preventative maintenance or minor repairs on meters.
- Answer customers' questions about services and charges, or direct them to customer service centers.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$34,720
25th percentile
$39,410
75th percentile
$65,750
90th percentile
$85,930
Most important skills
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Operations Monitoring3.0
- Operation and Control2.9
- Active Listening2.9
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Service Orientation2.8
- Complex Problem Solving2.6
- Monitoring2.6
- Active Learning2.5
- Judgment and Decision Making2.5
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 3 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
3
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | 2.3 | Not selected | 2.3 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Meter Readers, UtilitiesHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $100,480 | 140 | 2025 |
| Reno, NV | $89,460 | 40 | 2025 |
| Omaha, NE | $87,320 | 60 | 2025 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $83,350 | 400 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $82,420 | 60 | 2025 |
| Chicago, IL | $80,180 | 250 | 2025 |
| CA | $79,040 | 810 | 2025 |
| PA | $78,450 | 860 | 2025 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $78,290 | 250 | 2025 |
| Cleveland, OH | $77,660 | 90 | 2025 |
| NV | $76,120 | 160 | 2025 |
| Riverside, CA | $75,830 | 130 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $75,140 | 210 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $75,020 | 60 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $74,030 | 180 | 2025 |
| MN | $73,930 | 120 | 2025 |
| Green Bay, WI | $69,070 | 40 | 2025 |
| Hartford, CT | $67,130 | 50 | 2025 |
| Denver, CO | $67,090 | 60 | 2025 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $66,930 | 80 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Meter Readers, Utilities to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.