Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians programs in Illinois
19 schools in Illinois teach this, at certificate or associate level. The Department of Education publishes earnings for none of them, so the figures below are what the occupation itself pays.
What this work pays in Illinois
Power Plant Operators in Illinois earn a median of $104,440 a year across 1,160 jobs. That is what the occupation pays everyone in it — not what graduates of any one program below earned.
| Also leads to | Median | Jobs in Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering Technologists and Technicians, Except Drafters, All Other | $79,800 | 940 |
| Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay | $107,470 | 420 |
| Solar Photovoltaic Installers | $59,630 | — |
Occupation wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.
Schools
| School | Credential | Median debt | Graduate earnings, 2 yrs | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of DuPage Glen Ellyn | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | — |
| Danville Area Community College Danville | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
| Heartland Community College Normal | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 7 |
| Highland Community College Freeport | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Highland Community College Freeport | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Illinois Central College East Peoria | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Illinois Central College East Peoria | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| John A Logan College Carterville | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Kankakee Community College Kankakee | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 8 |
| Lake Land College Mattoon | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 6 |
| Lake Land College Mattoon | Associate's degree | — | not published | 3 |
| Prairie State College Chicago Heights | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 1 |
| Richland Community College Decatur | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Rock Valley College Rockford | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Rock Valley College Rockford | Associate's degree | — | not published | 0 |
| Sauk Valley Community College Dixon | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 3 |
| Triton College River Grove | Undergraduate certificate | — | not published | 0 |
| Triton College River Grove | Associate's degree | — | not published | 1 |
A dash under earnings or debt means the U.S. Department of Education has not published a figure for that program — it withholds any median computed from too few graduates, which covers about four of every five programs. It never means zero, and it says nothing about whether the program is any good. Where a figure is shown, the number of graduates behind it is shown with it.
Email me when these figures change
The U.S. Department of Education publishes new cost, debt and earnings figures once a year, and every number on this page changes at once. One email when that happens for Energy Systems Technologies/Technicians — nothing else, and nothing in between.
Program and outcome figures: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, released 2026-06-10.