Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Short-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Meter readers, utilities work with utility companies to support accurate measurement and billing for services. This role offers a national median salary of $49,180 and supports about 20,000 jobs across the country. While projected national employment growth is -12.0%, there are still about 1,000 annual openings, reflecting turnover and replacement needs. Opportunities vary by location, with certain states and metro areas showing higher salaries and stronger opportunity scores than others. The work draws on a broad mix of abilities, including physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, detail orientation, and customer service, supported by mechanical, mathematical, and technology-related skills. For people with a high school diploma or equivalent who want a field-oriented job that also uses interpersonal and reading and writing abilities, this career can be a way to build experience in the utilities sector. Related options include transportation workers, light truck drivers, septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners, food processing workers, and driver/sales workers.
Meter readers, utilities earn a national median annual salary of $49,180, but pay can differ substantially by location. Among the top states, California stands out with a median salary of $79,040, followed by Colorado at $66,550 and Washington at $65,900. New York and Massachusetts offer median salaries of $56,960 and $54,150, respectively. At the metro level, some areas show even higher pay. The San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA metro reports a median salary of $100,480, and the Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA area has a median of $75,140. The New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ metro reports $63,040, while Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH are closer to the national figure at $50,810 and $54,160. These differences highlight the importance of geographic choice for maximizing earnings in this field.
Nationally, meter readers, utilities have an employment level of about 20,000 workers. The projected employment growth rate is -12.0%, indicating an overall decline in the number of positions over the projection period. Despite this negative growth, the occupation is expected to have around 1,000 annual openings. These openings reflect ongoing turnover and replacement needs even as total employment shrinks. For job seekers, this means that new positions may be more likely to arise from people leaving or retiring from the field rather than from expansion. Because the projected decline applies uniformly across the highlighted states and metro areas, those considering this career should pay close attention to both local demand and long-term plans. People evaluating alternatives may also want to explore similar occupations such as transportation workers (all other), light truck drivers, septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners, food processing workers (all other), and driver/sales workers.
Location plays a major role in the career outlook for meter readers, utilities. Among states, California has the highest median salary at $79,040 and the highest opportunity score at 67.38, with employment of 810. Massachusetts and New York follow with opportunity scores of 65.87 and 65.78 and median salaries of $54,150 and $56,960, respectively. Colorado and Washington also offer relatively high median wages of $66,550 and $65,900, with opportunity scores in the mid‑50s. At the metro level, the New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ area leads with an opportunity score of 77.27, a median salary of $63,040, and employment of 1,110. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA combines a very high median salary of $100,480 with a strong opportunity score of 68.75. Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, CA and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH offer mid‑to‑high salaries and solid opportunity scores, while Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV aligns more closely with the national median. These variations give candidates several distinct regional strategies to consider.
The typical education requirement for meter readers, utilities is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who are ready to enter the workforce without pursuing a longer postsecondary program. Success in this role relies on a combination of physical, technical, and interpersonal strengths. Key abilities include physical strength and stamina and fine motor skills, reflecting the practical nature of the work. Detail orientation, mathematics, and science skills support accurate measurement and record‑keeping. Customer service and interpersonal skills are important for interacting effectively with the public and colleagues, while writing and reading skills are needed for documenting and understanding information. Competence with computers and information technology and some mechanical aptitude round out the profile, helping meter readers use equipment and digital tools effectively. People who bring this blend of skills and meet the education standard can be competitive candidates for openings in the field.
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