Production · Career brief

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Power Distributors and Dispatchers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$106,730

High national median pay

2025 national median. Top quarter for pay among careers on ChooseField.

2Demand

1.2%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

700

Low national opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Bottom quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

High school

A four-year degree is not the typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

This is a small national occupation (8,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is pay; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a high-school entry path. Main tradeoff: This is a small national occupation (8,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median…

Before choosing, compare:Gas Plant Operators Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Power Distributors and Dispatchers with another field Explore rankings in Production Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$106,730

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

1.2%employment growth700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

8,600

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Power distributors and dispatchers (51-8012).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Coordinate with engineers, planners, field personnel, or other utility workers to provide information such as clearances, switching orders, or distribution process changes.
Respond to emergencies, such as transformer or transmission line failures, and route current around affected areas.
Control, monitor, or operate equipment that regulates or distributes electricity or steam, using data obtained from instruments or computers.
Distribute or regulate the flow of power between entities, such as generating stations, substations, distribution lines, or users, keeping track of the status of circuits or connections.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

This is a small national occupation (8,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.
Errors can seriously affect people, equipment, or operations. Checking and accountability are part of the job, not optional polish.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.7
Getting Information4.7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.6
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.5
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.5

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic5.2
Conventional5.1
Enterprising3.1
Investigative2.4
Social2.0
Artistic1.0

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Public Safety and Security Mathematics Computers and Electronics Telecommunications

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Take a supervised shop, maker, or trade class and finish one project while following its measurement, cleanup, and safety rules.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Power distributors and dispatchers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Monitoring among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options