Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 51-8091

Chemical Plant and System Operators

O*NET task statements lead this Chemical Plant and System Operators card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Chemical Plant and System Operators: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers ($63K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) , Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers ($68K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Chemical Plant and System Operators publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-8091 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of proce…
  2. 2. Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel
  3. 3. Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment
  4. 4. Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields
  5. 5. Inspect operating units, such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, or driers to ensure that all are functioning an…
  6. 6. Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met
  7. 7. Record operating data, such as process conditions, test results, or instrument readings
  8. 8. Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing
  9. 9. Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks
  10. 10. Interpret chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitors and review laboratory test reports for process adjus…
  11. 11. Confer with technical and supervisory personnel to report or resolve conditions affecting safety, efficiency, or product quality
  12. 12. Start pumps to wash and rinse reactor vessels, to exhaust gases or vapors, to regulate the flow of oil, steam, air, or perfume to towers…

Chemical Plant and System Operators: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-8091 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 4.1 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 4.1
  2. 2. Operation and Control 4.0
  3. 3. Monitoring 3.6
  4. 4. Quality Control Analysis 3.6
  5. 5. Critical Thinking 3.5
  6. 6. Active Listening 3.4
  7. 7. Reading Comprehension 3.3
  8. 8. Active Learning 3.3

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.7
  2. 2. Chemistry 3.7
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.6
  4. 4. English Language 3.5
  5. 5. Public Safety and Security 3.3
  6. 6. Customer and Personal Service 3.1
National median after O*NET task lead
$78,120
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of proce…
$78K
National median
↓ -6%
Growth 2024-2034
1,600
Annual openings
16,610
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Chemical Plant and System Operators

1. Alabama $91,610
2. Texas $102,750
3. California $87,550
4. Wyoming $107,810
5. Kentucky $97,550
6. Maryland $95,150
7. Louisiana $100,060
8. Arkansas $91,610
9. Oregon $87,110
10. Florida $128,830

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  2. 2. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  3. 3. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120
  4. 4. Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers $62,750
  5. 5. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  6. 6. Gas Plant Operators $87,820

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Chemical Plant and System Operators (SOC 51-8091). The national OEWS median is $78,120 inside Production Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers. Lead published task: Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of proce….

Employment Projections expect -6% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,600 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Alabama at $91,610. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Chemical Plant and System Operators pay-rank #7 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Chemical Plant and System Operators is pay-rank #7, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 51-8091 · national median $78,120 · upper third of Production Occupations (#7/105). The day-to-day tasks above set this role apart from peers with a similar title.

Chemical Plant and System Operators salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-8091

Alabama · top state for Chemical Plant and System Operators

$92K published median

Texas · #2 state pay

$103K · behind Alabama

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Chemical Plant and System Operators · $123K

Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers

Lower-pay peer beside Chemical Plant and System Operators · $63K

Compare Chemical Plant and System Operators

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Chemical Plant and System Operators with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Chemical Plant and System Operators full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Chemical Plant and System Operators at the top of the pay table? ▼
Chemical Plant and System Operators is pay-rank #7 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K), First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K), Gas Plant Operators ($88K), Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers ($68K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do chemical plant and system operators do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Chemical Plant and System Operators. Leading ones include: Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of proce…; Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel; Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment; Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for chemical plant and system operators? ▼
For SOC 51-8091, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (4.1), Operation and Control (4.0), Monitoring (3.6), Quality Control Analysis (3.6). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Chemistry, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Chemical Plant and System Operators? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $78,120 as the national median for Chemical Plant and System Operators. The published 10th-90th range is $48,400 to $111,930. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Chemical Plant and System Operators? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Chemical Plant and System Operators is -6%. Projected annual openings: about 1,600. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Chemical Plant and System Operators? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Chemical Plant and System Operators. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Chemical Plant and System Operators? ▼
Alabama ($91,610), Texas ($102,750), California ($87,550) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Chemical Plant and System Operators card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-8091. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Chemical Plant and System Operators. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics