Meter Readers, Utilities Career, Salary and Skills
Meter Readers, Utilities have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $48,150 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 19,430. Wage data is published for 143 locations.
Occupation description
Read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam.
O*NET code
43-5041.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$48,150
Hourly median
$23.15
Employment
19,430
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$34,720
10th
$39,410
25th
$48,150
Median
$65,750
75th
$85,930
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.25 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Operation and Control | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Service Orientation | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Monitoring | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.62 | 2.38 |
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.
Technology
- Billing software
- Geographic information system GIS systems
- Graphing software
- Mapping software
- Meter reading software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
Meter Readers, Utilities salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in TXMedian $43,030 · Employment 1,360
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in New York, NYMedian $63,040 · Employment 1,110
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in OHMedian $47,780 · Employment 1,070
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in NYMedian $56,960 · Employment 930
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in NJMedian $63,030 · Employment 870
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in TNMedian $45,210 · Employment 860
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in PAMedian $78,450 · Employment 860
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in CAMedian $79,040 · Employment 810
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in KYMedian $44,450 · Employment 690
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in GAMedian $43,140 · Employment 670
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in NCMedian $41,830 · Employment 640
- Meter Readers, Utilities Salary in VAMedian $44,020 · Employment 630
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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.