Meter Readers, Utilities: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Office and Administrative Support · SOC 43-5041 · O*NET 43-5041.00
Read meter and record consumption of electricity, gas, water, or steam.
Meter Readers, Utilities fall under the Office and Administrative Support category in the U.S. occupational classification. Meter Readers, Utilities earn a median salary of $48,150 per year, ranking in the top 72% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -10.5% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do meter readers, utilities earn?
The median annual wage for meter readers, utilities is $48,150. That puts meter readers, utilities at #593 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $34,720 |
| 25th percentile | $39,410 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $48,150 |
| 75th percentile | $65,750 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $85,930 |
| Median hourly wage | $23.15/hr |
Is meter readers, utilities a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for meter readers, utilities is -10.5%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 19K positions in 2024 to 17K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do meter readers, utilities do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working meter readers, utilities, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Read electric, gas, water, or steam consumption meters and enter data in route books or hand-held computers.
- 2.Verify readings in cases where consumption appears to be abnormal, and record possible reasons for fluctuations.
- 3.Inspect meters for unauthorized connections, defects, and damage, such as broken seals.
- 4.Report to service departments any problems, such as meter irregularities, damaged equipment, or impediments to meter access, including dogs.
- 5.Leave messages to arrange different times to read meters in cases in which meters are not accessible.
- 6.Dig dirt away from meters to take readings.
- 7.Report lost or broken keys.
- 8.Upload into office computers all information collected on hand-held computers during meter rounds, or return route books or hand-held computers to business offices so that data can be compiled.
Top skills for meter readers, utilities
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become meter readers, utilitie?
Many meter readers, utilities enter the field with a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, though employers increasingly favor candidates with certifications or some postsecondary coursework. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Related careers your child might also consider
- New Accounts Clerks$47,670 median
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540 median
- Bill and Account Collectors$47,030 median
- Correspondence Clerks$46,800 median
- Weighers, Measurers, Checkers, and Samplers, Recordkeeping$46,380 median
- Order Clerks$46,170 median
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about meter readers, utilities
What is the median salary for meter readers, utilities?
The median annual salary for meter readers, utilities is $48,150 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is meter readers, utilities a growing career?
BLS projects -10.5% growth for meter readers, utilities from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become meter readers, utilitie?
The typical entry path requires a high school diploma plus on-the-job training, certifications, or postsecondary credentials, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to meter readers, utilities?
Related occupations within the Office and Administrative Support category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.