51 Series · SOC 51-9011
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $58,040
- Median / year
- $92,250
- Top 10% earn
- +3.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 139,630
- US workers
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders earn a median of $58,040 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $58,040, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $37,440 (10th percentile) to $92,250 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 139,630 US workers. Wyoming pays the most ($101,590), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders earn a median of $58,040, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 44% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #19 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.3% by 2033.
- $58,040
- Median annual wage
- Top 56%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #19 of 105
- in Production
- 2.5×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Wyoming at $101,590. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (SOC 51-9011) pays a national median of $58,040 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $37,440 at the 10th percentile to $92,250 at the 90th, with a mean of $60,710 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 139,630 Americans work in this occupation across 48 reporting states and 269 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 14,400 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Wyoming pays the highest state median at $101,590, which is +75% above the national figure. The top metro is Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX at $96,790 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$58,040
per year
Median Hourly
$27.90/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$60,710
average
Employment
139,630
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$58,040 Bottom 44% higher than 44% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 22 51-series occupations with growth data, Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at +3.3% growth and $58,040 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.3%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
14,400
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- ▸ Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- ▸ Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
- ▸ Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
- ▸ Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- ▸ Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
- ▸ Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- ▸ Test product samples for specific gravity, chemical characteristics, pH levels, concentrations, or viscosities, or send them to laboratories for testing.
- ▸ Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
- ▸ Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$37,440
25th Percentile
$45,970
Median
$58,040
75th Percentile
$74,080
90th Percentile
$92,250
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 48 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $101,590 | +75% above national |
| 2 | Alabama | $80,330 | +38% above national |
| 3 | Montana | $79,570 | +37% above national |
| 4 | Louisiana | $78,580 | +35% above national |
| 5 | Idaho | $77,100 | +33% above national |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $69,630 | +20% above national |
| 7 | Washington | $67,300 | +16% above national |
| 8 | West Virginia | $66,060 | +14% above national |
| 9 | Arkansas | $64,440 | +11% above national |
| 10 | Mississippi | $64,360 | +11% above national |
| 11 | Delaware | $63,200 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Illinois | $61,940 | +7% above national |
| 13 | Tennessee | $60,960 | +5% above national |
| 14 | New Mexico | $60,910 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Ohio | $60,550 | +4% above national |
| 16 | Texas | $60,150 | +4% above national |
| 17 | Virginia | $59,970 | +3% above national |
| 18 | Maryland | $59,850 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Nebraska | $59,750 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Nevada | $58,520 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Connecticut | $58,490 | +1% above national |
| 22 | California | $58,300 | same as national |
| 23 | Iowa | $57,550 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Kentucky | $57,530 | 1% below national |
| 25 | Maine | $57,240 | 1% below national |
| 26 | Massachusetts | $56,920 | 2% below national |
| 27 | Indiana | $56,800 | 2% below national |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $56,630 | 2% below national |
| 29 | Oregon | $56,510 | 3% below national |
| 30 | New Jersey | $56,500 | 3% below national |
| 31 | South Carolina | $56,240 | 3% below national |
| 32 | Kansas | $54,890 | 5% below national |
| 33 | Minnesota | $53,340 | 8% below national |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $50,870 | 12% below national |
| 35 | Missouri | $50,640 | 13% below national |
| 36 | Colorado | $50,370 | 13% below national |
| 37 | Oklahoma | $50,160 | 14% below national |
| 38 | Michigan | $50,060 | 14% below national |
| 39 | Georgia | $49,660 | 14% below national |
| 40 | North Carolina | $49,650 | 14% below national |
| 41 | New York | $49,640 | 14% below national |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $49,440 | 15% below national |
| 43 | South Dakota | $48,830 | 16% below national |
| 44 | Hawaii | $47,840 | 18% below national |
| 45 | Arizona | $45,790 | 21% below national |
| 46 | Florida | $44,360 | 24% below national |
| 47 | Utah | $39,020 | 33% below national |
| 48 | Puerto Rico | $36,450 | 37% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 269 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $96,790 | +67% above national |
| 2 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $94,450 | +63% above national |
| 3 | Baton Rouge, LA | $93,920 | +62% above national |
| 4 | Corpus Christi, TX | $91,560 | +58% above national |
| 5 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $87,670 | +51% above national |
| 6 | Mobile, AL | $84,740 | +46% above national |
| 7 | Montgomery, AL | $84,360 | +45% above national |
| 8 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $82,480 | +42% above national |
| 9 | Decatur, AL | $82,170 | +42% above national |
| 10 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $82,050 | +41% above national |
| 11 | Albany, OR | $81,190 | +40% above national |
| 12 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $80,780 | +39% above national |
| 13 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $80,400 | +39% above national |
| 14 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $79,430 | +37% above national |
| 15 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $78,530 | +35% above national |
| 16 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $78,300 | +35% above national |
| 17 | Charleston, WV | $77,670 | +34% above national |
| 18 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $77,100 | +33% above national |
| 19 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $76,390 | +32% above national |
| 20 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $76,250 | +31% above national |
| 21 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $75,990 | +31% above national |
| 22 | Lake Charles, LA | $74,220 | +28% above national |
| 23 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $72,660 | +25% above national |
| 24 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,210 | +23% above national |
| 25 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $70,720 | +22% above national |
| 26 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $69,590 | +20% above national |
| 27 | Joplin, MO-KS | $67,790 | +17% above national |
| 28 | Elizabethtown, KY | $67,510 | +16% above national |
| 29 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $67,300 | +16% above national |
| 30 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $67,230 | +16% above national |
| 31 | Southeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $66,500 | +15% above national |
| 32 | Hattiesburg, MS | $66,120 | +14% above national |
| 33 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $66,060 | +14% above national |
| 34 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $65,980 | +14% above national |
| 35 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $64,810 | +12% above national |
| 36 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $64,600 | +11% above national |
| 37 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $63,810 | +10% above national |
| 38 | Vallejo, CA | $63,790 | +10% above national |
| 39 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $63,510 | +9% above national |
| 40 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $63,500 | +9% above national |
| 41 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $63,490 | +9% above national |
| 42 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $63,370 | +9% above national |
| 43 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $63,010 | +9% above national |
| 44 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $62,900 | +8% above national |
| 45 | Evansville, IN | $62,870 | +8% above national |
| 46 | Jackson, MS | $62,530 | +8% above national |
| 47 | Peoria, IL | $62,500 | +8% above national |
| 48 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $62,390 | +7% above national |
| 49 | Ames, IA | $62,300 | +7% above national |
| 50 | Springfield, MA | $62,280 | +7% above national |
| 51 | Cleveland, OH | $62,200 | +7% above national |
| 52 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $61,870 | +7% above national |
| 53 | Richmond, VA | $61,840 | +7% above national |
| 54 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $61,770 | +6% above national |
| 55 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $61,720 | +6% above national |
| 56 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $61,690 | +6% above national |
| 57 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $61,660 | +6% above national |
| 58 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $61,530 | +6% above national |
| 59 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $61,420 | +6% above national |
| 60 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $61,250 | +6% above national |
| 61 | Kenosha, WI | $61,180 | +5% above national |
| 62 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $61,020 | +5% above national |
| 63 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $60,990 | +5% above national |
| 64 | Bowling Green, KY | $60,830 | +5% above national |
| 65 | Toledo, OH | $60,830 | +5% above national |
| 66 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $60,820 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Sheboygan, WI | $60,590 | +4% above national |
| 68 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $60,440 | +4% above national |
| 69 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $60,440 | +4% above national |
| 70 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $60,410 | +4% above national |
| 71 | Omaha, NE-IA | $60,370 | +4% above national |
| 72 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $60,370 | +4% above national |
| 73 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $60,280 | +4% above national |
| 74 | Columbus, OH | $60,260 | +4% above national |
| 75 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $60,080 | +4% above national |
| 76 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $59,820 | +3% above national |
| 77 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $59,510 | +3% above national |
| 78 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $59,490 | +2% above national |
| 79 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $59,390 | +2% above national |
| 80 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $59,380 | +2% above national |
| 81 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $59,350 | +2% above national |
| 82 | Akron, OH | $59,280 | +2% above national |
| 83 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $59,230 | +2% above national |
| 84 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $59,050 | +2% above national |
| 85 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $59,010 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Boise City, ID | $58,990 | +2% above national |
| 87 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $58,770 | +1% above national |
| 88 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $58,760 | +1% above national |
| 89 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $58,760 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $58,690 | +1% above national |
| 91 | New Haven, CT | $58,490 | +1% above national |
| 92 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $58,470 | +1% above national |
| 93 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $58,220 | same as national |
| 94 | Spartanburg, SC | $58,170 | same as national |
| 95 | Tulsa, OK | $57,880 | same as national |
| 96 | Columbia, SC | $57,870 | same as national |
| 97 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $57,790 | same as national |
| 98 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $57,500 | 1% below national |
| 99 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $57,470 | 1% below national |
| 100 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $57,460 | 1% below national |
| 101 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $57,430 | 1% below national |
| 102 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $57,410 | 1% below national |
| 103 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $57,370 | 1% below national |
| 104 | Sandusky, OH | $57,240 | 1% below national |
| 105 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $57,230 | 1% below national |
| 106 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $57,110 | 2% below national |
| 107 | Pittsburgh, PA | $57,030 | 2% below national |
| 108 | Wilmington, NC | $56,990 | 2% below national |
| 109 | Lancaster, PA | $56,810 | 2% below national |
| 110 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $56,740 | 2% below national |
| 111 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $56,570 | 3% below national |
| 112 | Savannah, GA | $56,120 | 3% below national |
| 113 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $56,040 | 3% below national |
| 114 | Glens Falls, NY | $55,990 | 4% below national |
| 115 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $55,750 | 4% below national |
| 116 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $55,740 | 4% below national |
| 117 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $55,700 | 4% below national |
| 118 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $55,660 | 4% below national |
| 119 | Northwestern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $55,460 | 4% below national |
| 120 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $55,400 | 5% below national |
| 121 | Bend, OR | $55,310 | 5% below national |
| 122 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $55,230 | 5% below national |
| 123 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $55,190 | 5% below national |
| 124 | Victoria, TX | $55,080 | 5% below national |
| 125 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $54,790 | 6% below national |
| 126 | Modesto, CA | $54,770 | 6% below national |
| 127 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $54,630 | 6% below national |
| 128 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $54,560 | 6% below national |
| 129 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $54,500 | 6% below national |
| 130 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $54,340 | 6% below national |
| 131 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $54,160 | 7% below national |
| 132 | Northeastern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $53,750 | 7% below national |
| 133 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $53,500 | 8% below national |
| 134 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $52,780 | 9% below national |
| 135 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $52,440 | 10% below national |
| 136 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $52,240 | 10% below national |
| 137 | Gainesville, GA | $51,660 | 11% below national |
| 138 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $51,570 | 11% below national |
| 139 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $51,450 | 11% below national |
| 140 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $51,310 | 12% below national |
| 141 | Boulder, CO | $51,230 | 12% below national |
| 142 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $51,020 | 12% below national |
| 143 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $50,900 | 12% below national |
| 144 | Lynchburg, VA | $50,840 | 12% below national |
| 145 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $50,690 | 13% below national |
| 146 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $50,640 | 13% below national |
| 147 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $50,580 | 13% below national |
| 148 | Worcester, MA | $50,460 | 13% below national |
| 149 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $50,320 | 13% below national |
| 150 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $50,180 | 14% below national |
| 151 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $50,110 | 14% below national |
| 152 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $50,020 | 14% below national |
| 153 | Salisbury, MD | $50,020 | 14% below national |
| 154 | Madison, WI | $49,920 | 14% below national |
| 155 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $49,880 | 14% below national |
| 156 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,820 | 14% below national |
| 157 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $49,780 | 14% below national |
| 158 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,710 | 14% below national |
| 159 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $49,650 | 14% below national |
| 160 | Birmingham, AL | $49,590 | 15% below national |
| 161 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $49,590 | 15% below national |
| 162 | Appleton, WI | $49,560 | 15% below national |
| 163 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $49,520 | 15% below national |
| 164 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $49,460 | 15% below national |
| 165 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $49,400 | 15% below national |
| 166 | Lafayette, LA | $49,380 | 15% below national |
| 167 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $49,350 | 15% below national |
| 168 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,340 | 15% below national |
| 169 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,310 | 15% below national |
| 170 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $49,310 | 15% below national |
| 171 | Springfield, MO | $49,250 | 15% below national |
| 172 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $49,240 | 15% below national |
| 173 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $49,230 | 15% below national |
| 174 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $49,170 | 15% below national |
| 175 | Reading, PA | $49,070 | 15% below national |
| 176 | Duluth, MN-WI | $49,030 | 16% below national |
| 177 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $49,020 | 16% below national |
| 178 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $48,900 | 16% below national |
| 179 | Roanoke, VA | $48,770 | 16% below national |
| 180 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $48,670 | 16% below national |
| 181 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $48,660 | 16% below national |
| 182 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $48,570 | 16% below national |
| 183 | Syracuse, NY | $48,500 | 16% below national |
| 184 | Morristown, TN | $48,420 | 17% below national |
| 185 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $48,290 | 17% below national |
| 186 | Wichita, KS | $48,190 | 17% below national |
| 187 | Middle Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $48,030 | 17% below national |
| 188 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $47,880 | 18% below national |
| 189 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $47,650 | 18% below national |
| 190 | Green Bay, WI | $47,650 | 18% below national |
| 191 | Midland, TX | $47,580 | 18% below national |
| 192 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $47,520 | 18% below national |
| 193 | Huntsville, AL | $47,510 | 18% below national |
| 194 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $47,510 | 18% below national |
| 195 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $47,470 | 18% below national |
| 196 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $47,430 | 18% below national |
| 197 | Rome, GA | $47,420 | 18% below national |
| 198 | Lubbock, TX | $47,320 | 18% below national |
| 199 | Fresno, CA | $47,280 | 19% below national |
| 200 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $47,230 | 19% below national |
| 201 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $47,220 | 19% below national |
| 202 | Warner Robins, GA | $47,160 | 19% below national |
| 203 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $47,160 | 19% below national |
| 204 | Winston-Salem, NC | $46,980 | 19% below national |
| 205 | Knoxville, TN | $46,880 | 19% below national |
| 206 | York-Hanover, PA | $46,880 | 19% below national |
| 207 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $46,690 | 20% below national |
| 208 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $46,680 | 20% below national |
| 209 | Terre Haute, IN | $46,660 | 20% below national |
| 210 | Visalia, CA | $46,640 | 20% below national |
| 211 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $46,630 | 20% below national |
| 212 | Dalton, GA | $46,570 | 20% below national |
| 213 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $46,530 | 20% below national |
| 214 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $46,470 | 20% below national |
| 215 | Salem, OR | $46,380 | 20% below national |
| 216 | Rochester, NY | $46,270 | 20% below national |
| 217 | Wausau, WI | $46,120 | 21% below national |
| 218 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $46,100 | 21% below national |
| 219 | Florence, SC | $46,080 | 21% below national |
| 220 | Greeley, CO | $45,980 | 21% below national |
| 221 | Fort Wayne, IN | $45,970 | 21% below national |
| 222 | West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $45,970 | 21% below national |
| 223 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $45,930 | 21% below national |
| 224 | Hammond, LA | $45,910 | 21% below national |
| 225 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,840 | 21% below national |
| 226 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $45,820 | 21% below national |
| 227 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $45,800 | 21% below national |
| 228 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $45,610 | 21% below national |
| 229 | Ann Arbor, MI | $45,590 | 21% below national |
| 230 | Tucson, AZ | $45,550 | 22% below national |
| 231 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45,410 | 22% below national |
| 232 | Valdosta, GA | $45,390 | 22% below national |
| 233 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $45,340 | 22% below national |
| 234 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $45,300 | 22% below national |
| 235 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $45,250 | 22% below national |
| 236 | Greenville, NC | $45,200 | 22% below national |
| 237 | Southern South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $45,190 | 22% below national |
| 238 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $45,180 | 22% below national |
| 239 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $45,150 | 22% below national |
| 240 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $45,110 | 22% below national |
| 241 | Albuquerque, NM | $45,080 | 22% below national |
| 242 | Oklahoma City, OK | $45,070 | 22% below national |
| 243 | Niles, MI | $44,750 | 23% below national |
| 244 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $44,730 | 23% below national |
| 245 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $44,700 | 23% below national |
| 246 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $44,560 | 23% below national |
| 247 | Sumter, SC | $44,530 | 23% below national |
| 248 | Tyler, TX | $44,400 | 24% below national |
| 249 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $44,390 | 24% below national |
| 250 | Paducah, KY-IL | $44,220 | 24% below national |
| 251 | Rochester, MN | $44,060 | 24% below national |
| 252 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $43,550 | 25% below national |
| 253 | Lincoln, NE | $43,080 | 26% below national |
| 254 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $42,890 | 26% below national |
| 255 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $41,820 | 28% below national |
| 256 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $40,820 | 30% below national |
| 257 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $40,120 | 31% below national |
| 258 | Jacksonville, FL | $40,000 | 31% below national |
| 259 | Lower East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $39,340 | 32% below national |
| 260 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $39,160 | 33% below national |
| 261 | Ogden, UT | $39,010 | 33% below national |
| 262 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $37,900 | 35% below national |
| 263 | Waco, TX | $37,260 | 36% below national |
| 264 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $37,200 | 36% below national |
| 265 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $36,450 | 37% below national |
| 266 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $36,430 | 37% below national |
| 267 | Manhattan, KS | $36,040 | 38% below national |
| 268 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $36,020 | 38% below national |
| 269 | St. George, UT | $34,770 | 40% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $74,080/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Wyoming leads at $101,590/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.