Oregon Hydropower jobs: 1,774 employed (2024)
As of the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report, Oregon employs 1,774 people in the hydropower sector — about 3.1% of the U.S. total. That makes Oregon the 8th-largest state for hydropower jobs nationwide.
Hydropower Jobs in Oregon (2024)
National share: 3.05% of all U.S. hydropower jobs.
Typical Median Wage
1. Employment Landscape
Oregon ranks 8th out of 51 U.S. states in hydropower employment. At 1,774 workers, the state sits above the 25th-ranked New Jersey’s tally by 1,453 jobs, and trails the national leader California by 8,859 hydropower workers.
1.1 Oregon’s position vs. the top 10 and median states
1.2 Share of U.S. total
The hydropower sector nationwide employs roughly 58,089 workers; Oregon accounts for 1,774 of them.
1.3 Where Oregon sits in its own mix
| Sector | Jobs (2024) | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency | 41,357 | #21 |
| Solar | 5,807 | #19 |
| Hydropower | 1,774 | #8 |
| Wind | 1,717 | #22 |
| Storage & Grid | 1,578 | #18 |
| Electric Vehicles | 1,112 | #26 |
| Clean Fuels | 601 | #7 |
| Nuclear | 199 | #30 |
1.4 Sub-sector breakdown in Oregon
Every hydropower-related sub-category reported for Oregon in the USEER workbook, ranked by employment.
2. Pay & Career Roles in Oregon
Oregon contributes 3.05% of the nation’s hydropower workforce. Within Oregon’s own clean-energy economy, hydropower accounts for 3.3% of total clean-energy jobs (1,774 of 54,146 workers).
Cost-of-living in Oregon is roughly 3.8% higher the U.S. average, so the state-adjusted median wage for hydropower roles in Oregon is shown alongside the national BLS figure.
| Role | National median | Oregon-adjusted | Job Zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrologic / Civil Engineer | $95,890 | $99,534 | 4 |
| Water Treatment Plant Operator (Hydro) | $54,460 | $56,529 | 3 |
See all 2 hydropower occupations with national wages and skills →
4. Hiring Difficulty & Industry Mix
Oregon employers rate 17.8% of clean-energy hires as “very difficult” (plus 28.2% as “somewhat difficult”) — easier than the ~22% national baseline. Combined, 46.0% of Oregon’s clean-energy roles see some level of hiring friction.
4.1 Employer hiring difficulty
4.2 Jobs by NAICS industry group
| Industry (NAICS group) | Jobs (2024) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 31,116 |
| Manufacturing | 18,022 |
| Other Services | 14,819 |
| Professional Services | 12,911 |
| Trade | 9,210 |
| Utilities | 7,146 |
| Agriculture and Forestry | 2,996 |
| Pipeline Transport & Commodity Flows | 1,198 |
| Mining and Extraction | 48 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Data source: U.S. Department of Energy — 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report (reflecting 2024 employment); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics; O*NET Occupation Database 29.1.
Last updated: April 2026.