51 Series · SOC 51-8091
Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $78,120
- Median / year
- $111,930
- Top 10% earn
- -6.1%
- Growth '23–'33
- 16,610
- US workers
Chemical Plant and System Operators earn a median of $78,120 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $78,120, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $48,400 (10th percentile) to $111,930 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 16,610 US workers. Florida pays the most ($128,830), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Chemical Plant and System Operators earn a median of $78,120, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 71% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #7 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 6.1% by 2033.
- $78,120
- Median annual wage
- Top 29%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #7 of 105
- in Production
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Florida at $128,830. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Chemical Plant and System Operators (SOC 51-8091) pays a national median of $78,120 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $48,400 at the 10th percentile to $111,930 at the 90th, with a mean of $79,970 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 16,610 Americans work in this occupation across 35 reporting states and 38 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -6.1% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,600 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. Florida pays the highest state median at $128,830, which is +65% above the national figure. The top metro is Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX at $117,430 - 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
$78,120
per year
Median Hourly
$37.56/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$79,970
average
Employment
16,610
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Chemical Plant and System Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$78,120 Top 29% higher than 71% 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 Plant and System Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Chemical Plant and System Operators sits on the slower-growing side at -6.1% growth and $78,120 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-6.1%
Declining
Annual Openings
1,600
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 Plant and System Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Inspect operating units, such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, or driers to ensure that all are functioning and to maintain maximum efficiency.
- ▸ Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.
- ▸ Record operating data, such as process conditions, test results, or instrument readings.
- ▸ Patrol work areas to ensure that solutions in tanks or troughs are not in danger of overflowing.
- ▸ Turn valves to regulate flow of products or byproducts through agitator tanks, storage drums, or neutralizer tanks.
- ▸ Interpret chemical reactions visible through sight glasses or on television monitors and review laboratory test reports for process adjustments.
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
$48,400
25th Percentile
$60,330
Median
$78,120
75th Percentile
$98,660
90th Percentile
$111,930
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 35 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $128,830 | +65% above national |
| 2 | Wyoming | $107,810 | +38% above national |
| 3 | Texas | $102,750 | +32% above national |
| 4 | Louisiana | $100,060 | +28% above national |
| 5 | Kentucky | $97,550 | +25% above national |
| 6 | Maryland | $95,150 | +22% above national |
| 7 | Alabama | $91,610 | +17% above national |
| 8 | Arkansas | $91,610 | +17% above national |
| 9 | California | $87,550 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Oregon | $87,110 | +12% above national |
| 11 | New Jersey | $86,820 | +11% above national |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $83,710 | +7% above national |
| 13 | Idaho | $82,980 | +6% above national |
| 14 | West Virginia | $81,710 | +5% above national |
| 15 | New Mexico | $72,610 | 7% below national |
| 16 | Michigan | $72,430 | 7% below national |
| 17 | Mississippi | $71,080 | 9% below national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $70,110 | 10% below national |
| 19 | South Carolina | $68,510 | 12% below national |
| 20 | Ohio | $67,580 | 13% below national |
| 21 | Minnesota | $66,500 | 15% below national |
| 22 | Illinois | $65,710 | 16% below national |
| 23 | Utah | $63,460 | 19% below national |
| 24 | Virginia | $63,000 | 19% below national |
| 25 | New York | $62,980 | 19% below national |
| 26 | North Carolina | $62,920 | 19% below national |
| 27 | Colorado | $62,870 | 20% below national |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $62,720 | 20% below national |
| 29 | Iowa | $60,440 | 23% below national |
| 30 | Washington | $60,120 | 23% below national |
| 31 | South Dakota | $59,970 | 23% below national |
| 32 | Missouri | $55,470 | 29% below national |
| 33 | Georgia | $49,230 | 37% below national |
| 34 | Indiana | $49,110 | 37% below national |
| 35 | Tennessee | $45,830 | 41% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 38 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $117,430 | +50% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $111,900 | +43% above national |
| 3 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $106,020 | +36% above national |
| 4 | Baton Rouge, LA | $104,410 | +34% above national |
| 5 | Lake Charles, LA | $102,310 | +31% above national |
| 6 | Mobile, AL | $96,210 | +23% above national |
| 7 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $92,260 | +18% above national |
| 8 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $91,610 | +17% above national |
| 9 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $90,830 | +16% above national |
| 10 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,470 | +16% above national |
| 11 | Worcester, MA | $88,510 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $87,210 | +12% above national |
| 13 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $84,390 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $82,170 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $81,710 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Richmond, VA | $77,930 | same as national |
| 17 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $77,260 | 1% below national |
| 18 | Upper East Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $72,780 | 7% below national |
| 19 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $69,710 | 11% below national |
| 20 | Spartanburg, SC | $68,810 | 12% below national |
| 21 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $68,590 | 12% below national |
| 22 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $67,540 | 14% below national |
| 23 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $66,840 | 14% below national |
| 24 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $66,640 | 15% below national |
| 25 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $65,750 | 16% below national |
| 26 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $65,450 | 16% below national |
| 27 | Pittsburgh, PA | $64,360 | 18% below national |
| 28 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $62,160 | 20% below national |
| 29 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $60,720 | 22% below national |
| 30 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $60,600 | 22% below national |
| 31 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $60,430 | 23% below national |
| 32 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $59,860 | 23% below national |
| 33 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $59,400 | 24% below national |
| 34 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $58,260 | 25% below national |
| 35 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $57,370 | 27% below national |
| 36 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $55,210 | 29% below national |
| 37 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $52,330 | 33% below national |
| 38 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,920 | 39% 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
How much does a Chemical Plant and System Operators make? ▼
What state pays Chemical Plant and System Operators the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Chemical Plant and System Operators? ▼
How dangerous is being a Chemical Plant and System Operators? ▼
Is Chemical Plant and System Operators a good career? ▼
How does Chemical Plant and System Operators pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Chemical Plant and System Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $98,660/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: Florida leads at $128,830/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.