A person working as a Power Plant Operator in Samoa typically earns around 1,680 WST per month. Salaries range from 910 WST (lowest) to 2,540 WST (highest).
This is the average monthly salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Power Plant Operator salaries vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Power Plant Operator salaries in Samoa range from 910 WST per month (minimum salary) to 2,540 WST per month (maximum salary).
The median salary is 1,550 WST per month, which means that half (50%) of people working as Power Plant Operator(s) are earning less than 1,550 WST while the other half are earning more than 1,550 WST. The median represents the middle salary value. Generally speaking, you would want to be on the right side of the graph with the group earning more than the median salary.
Closely related to the median are two values: the 25th and the 75th percentiles. Reading from the salary distribution diagram, 25% of Power Plant Operator(s) are earning less than 1,110 WST while 75% of them are earning more than 1,110 WST. Also from the diagram, 75% of Power Plant Operator(s) are earning less than 1,880 WST while 25% are earning more than 1,880 WST.
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both of the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people are earning more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally the more years of experience the higher your wage. We broke down Power Plant Operator salaries by experience level and this is what we found.
A Power Plant Operator with less than two years of experience makes approximately 1,060 WST per month.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 1,330 WST per month, 26% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 1,760 WST per month, 32% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, Power Plant Operator(s) whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 2,070 WST per month, 18% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 2,290 WST per month, 11% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 2,440 WST per month, 6% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
0 - 2 Years | 1,060 WST | |
2 - 5 Years | +26% | 1,330 WST |
5 - 10 Years | +32% | 1,760 WST |
10 - 15 Years | +18% | 2,070 WST |
15 - 20 Years | +11% | 2,290 WST |
20+ Years | +6% | 2,440 WST |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down Power Plant Operator salaries by education level in order to make a comparison.
When the education level is High School, the average salary of a Power Plant Operator is 1,330 WST per month.
While someone with a Certificate or Diploma gets a salary of 1,820 WST per month, 37% more than someone having a High School degree.
A Bachelor's Degree gets its holder an average salary of 2,350 WST per month, 29% more than someone with a Certificate or Diploma.
High School | 1,330 WST | |
Certificate or Diploma | +37% | 1,820 WST |
Bachelor's Degree | +29% | 2,350 WST |
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? Male Power Plant Operator employees in Samoa earn 9% more than their female counterparts on average.
Male | 1,740 WST | |
Female | -8% | 1,600 WST |
Power Plant Operator(s) in Samoa are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 27 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 5% granted to employees every 28 months.
The term 'Annual Salary Increase' usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rarely that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 ÷ Increase Frequency
Banking | 8% | |
Energy | 7% | |
Information Technology | 6% | |
Healthcare | 5% | |
Travel | 4% | |
Construction | 3% | |
Education | 2% |
Listed above are the average annual increase rates for each industry in Samoa for the year 2020. Companies within thriving industries tend to provide higher and more frequent raises. Exceptions do exist, but generally speaking, the situation of any company is closely related to the economic situation in the country or region. These figures tend to change frequently.
A Power Plant Operator is considered to be a moderate bonus-based job due to the generally limited involvement in direct revenue generation, with exceptions of course. The people who get the highest bonuses are usually somehow involved in the revenue generation cycle.
67% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 33% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 4% to 5% of their annual salary.
Received Bonus | 33% | |
No Bonus | 67% |
The most standard form of bonus where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
The main two types of jobs | |
Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fix amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
The average salary for Power Plant Operator is 23% less than that of Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining. Also, Oil / Gas / Energy / Mining salaries are 10% less than those of All Jobs.
Job Title | Average Salary |
Assistant Yard Manager | 2,010 WST | ![]() |
Associate Analyst | 2,310 WST | ![]() |
Associate Landman | 970 WST | ![]() |
Auxiliary Equipment Operator | 920 WST | ![]() |
Biomass Plant Technician | 1,040 WST | ![]() |
Biomass Power Plant Manager | 2,960 WST | ![]() |
Chemical Plant Operator | 1,680 WST | ![]() |
Chief Contract Compliance Engineer | 2,250 WST | ![]() |
Completions Engineer | 1,950 WST | ![]() |
Cost Controller | 1,490 WST | ![]() |
Crude Oil Marketing Representative | 2,380 WST | ![]() |
Dispatcher | 870 WST | ![]() |
Distribution Manager | 3,090 WST | ![]() |
Dragline Operator | 1,000 WST | ![]() |
Driller Offsider | 750 WST | ![]() |
Dump Truck Driver | 880 WST | ![]() |
Electric and Gas Operations Manager | 4,750 WST | ![]() |
Energy Advisor | 3,220 WST | ![]() |
Energy Analyst | 3,000 WST | ![]() |
Energy Auditor | 2,610 WST | ![]() |
Energy Dispatch Director | 3,540 WST | ![]() |
Energy Technical Assistant | 1,380 WST | ![]() |
Energy Technical Manager | 2,560 WST | ![]() |
Energy Technical Trainer | 1,810 WST | ![]() |
Exploration Manager | 3,920 WST | ![]() |
Field Safety Auditor | 2,510 WST | ![]() |
Fluids Engineer | 2,150 WST | ![]() |
Fuel Cell Engineer | 2,300 WST | ![]() |
Fuel Cell Technician | 1,080 WST | ![]() |
Fuels Handler | 1,030 WST | ![]() |
Gas Compressor Operator | 970 WST | ![]() |
Gas Distribution Plant Operator | 1,770 WST | ![]() |
Gas Supply Manager | 3,330 WST | ![]() |
Geologist | 3,890 WST | ![]() |
Geophysicist | 3,830 WST | ![]() |
Geothermal Production Manager | 3,560 WST | ![]() |
Geothermal Technician | 1,440 WST | ![]() |
HSE Engineer | 2,070 WST | ![]() |
HSE Officer | 1,370 WST | ![]() |
HSEQ Administrator | 1,460 WST | ![]() |
Inspector | 2,010 WST | ![]() |
Instructor | 1,710 WST | ![]() |
Instrument Designer | 1,640 WST | ![]() |
Lead Technical Field Advisor | 2,820 WST | ![]() |
Logistics and Tool Coordinator | 1,930 WST | ![]() |
Maintenance Engineer | 2,100 WST | ![]() |
Maintenance Superintendent | 1,920 WST | ![]() |
Material Controller | 1,500 WST | ![]() |
Mine Engineer | 2,070 WST | ![]() |
Mine Surveyor | 2,330 WST | ![]() |
Mining Project Administrator | 1,920 WST | ![]() |
Mining Project Assistant | 1,470 WST | ![]() |
Mining Project Controls Consultant | 2,300 WST | ![]() |
Mining Project Coordinator | 1,880 WST | ![]() |
Mining Project Engineer | 2,170 WST | ![]() |
Mining Project Manager | 2,770 WST | ![]() |
Mining Site Manager | 2,780 WST | ![]() |
Mining Team Leader | 2,260 WST | ![]() |
NDT Technician | 1,250 WST | ![]() |
Oil Service Unit Operator | 1,170 WST | ![]() |
Oil Trader | 2,880 WST | ![]() |
Oilwell Pumper | 790 WST | ![]() |
Petroleum Engineer | 2,400 WST | ![]() |
Petroleum Geologist | 3,750 WST | ![]() |
Petroleum Pump System Operator | 1,240 WST | ![]() |
Pipeline Technician | 790 WST | ![]() |
Power Coordinator | 1,290 WST | ![]() |
Power Plant Operations Manager | 3,990 WST | ![]() |
Power Plant Operator | 1,680 WST | ![]() |
Radio Operator | 940 WST | ![]() |
Reliability Engineer | 2,150 WST | ![]() |
Reservoir Engineer | 2,050 WST | ![]() |
Risk Analyst | 2,510 WST | ![]() |
Roughneck | 2,210 WST | ![]() |
Scaffolder | 1,430 WST | ![]() |
Shutdown Engineer | 1,860 WST | ![]() |
Solar Energy Installation Manager | 3,230 WST | ![]() |
Solar Energy Systems Engineer | 2,250 WST | ![]() |
Solar Photovoltaic Installer | 1,400 WST | ![]() |
Solar Thermal Technician | 1,320 WST | ![]() |
Supply Operations Manager | 3,550 WST | ![]() |
Sustainability Specialist | 3,510 WST | ![]() |
System Development Advisor | 2,560 WST | ![]() |
Tanker Truck Driver | 820 WST | ![]() |
Utility Operator | 1,100 WST | ![]() |
Wind Energy Project Manager | 2,870 WST | ![]() |
Where can you get paid more, working for a private company or for the government? Public sector employees in Samoa earn 17% more than their private sector counterparts on average across all sectors.
Private Sector | 2,270 WST | |
Public Sector | +17% | 2,660 WST |