What does a Power Plant Operators salary really buy you in Alaska?
Alaska is 2.0% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Alaska's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 102.0, meaning prices are 2.0% higher the national average. A Power Plant Operators earning $85,070 in Alaska has the equivalent purchasing power of $83,401 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Alaska's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $42,140 | $41,313 | $-826 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $58,810 | $57,656 | $-1,153 |
| Median (P50) | $85,070 | $83,401 | $-1,668 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $106,630 | $104,539 | $-2,090 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $143,890 | $141,068 | $-2,821 |
Alaska's cost of living is close to the national average, so $85,070 keeps most of its value at $83,401 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Power Plant Operators salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Alaska ranks #46 out of 50 states for Power Plant Operators after cost-of-living adjustment.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
A Power Plant Operators in Alaska earns a median salary of $85,070 per year. After adjusting for Alaska's cost of living (RPP=102.0), the real purchasing power is $83,401 — a -2.0% difference.
Alaska's cost of living is 2.0% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Alaska is 102.0 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Power Plant Operators in Alaska: $85,070 x (100 / 102.0) = $83,401. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.