51 Series · SOC 51-8099
Plant and System Operators, All Other Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $62,470
- Median / year
- $94,560
- Top 10% earn
- +1.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 14,080
- US workers
Plant and System Operators, All Other earn a median of $62,470 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $62,470, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $40,700 (10th percentile) to $94,560 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 14,080 US workers. Massachusetts pays the most ($120,660), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Plant and System Operators, All Other earn a median of $62,470, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 52% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #16 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.6% by 2033.
- $62,470
- Median annual wage
- Top 48%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #16 of 105
- in Production
- 2.3×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Massachusetts at $120,660. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Plant and System Operators, All Other (SOC 51-8099) pays a national median of $62,470 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $40,700 at the 10th percentile to $94,560 at the 90th, with a mean of $65,700 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 14,080 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 87 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average 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. Massachusetts pays the highest state median at $120,660, which is +93% above the national figure. The top metro is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA at $94,420 - 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
$62,470
per year
Median Hourly
$30.03/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$65,700
average
Employment
14,080
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Plant and System Operators, All Other pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$62,470 Top 48% higher than 52% 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 Plant and System Operators, All Other; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Plant and System Operators, All Other sits on the slower-growing side at +1.6% growth and $62,470 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.6%
Slower than average
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 Plant and System Operators, All Other roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Monitor batch, continuous flow, or hybrid biofuels production processes.
- ▸ Operate valves, pumps, engines, or generators to control and adjust biofuels production.
- ▸ Monitor and record biofuels processing data.
- ▸ Collect biofuels samples and perform routine laboratory tests or analyses to assess biofuels quality.
- ▸ Operate equipment, such as a centrifuge, to extract biofuels products and secondary by-products or reusable fractions.
- ▸ Process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels.
- ▸ Operate chemical processing equipment for the production of biofuels.
- ▸ Monitor and record flow meter performance.
- ▸ Inspect biofuels plant or processing equipment regularly, recording or reporting damage and mechanical problems.
- ▸ Measure and monitor raw biofuels feedstock.
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
$40,700
25th Percentile
$48,900
Median
$62,470
75th Percentile
$78,480
90th Percentile
$94,560
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $120,660 | +93% above national |
| 2 | Washington | $88,730 | +42% above national |
| 3 | Minnesota | $88,290 | +41% above national |
| 4 | Maryland | $81,890 | +31% above national |
| 5 | Montana | $81,340 | +30% above national |
| 6 | Nevada | $80,000 | +28% above national |
| 7 | California | $78,020 | +25% above national |
| 8 | Illinois | $77,780 | +25% above national |
| 9 | Iowa | $75,800 | +21% above national |
| 10 | New York | $74,700 | +20% above national |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $74,240 | +19% above national |
| 12 | Kansas | $74,190 | +19% above national |
| 13 | Oregon | $71,900 | +15% above national |
| 14 | West Virginia | $70,660 | +13% above national |
| 15 | Indiana | $70,490 | +13% above national |
| 16 | New Jersey | $69,970 | +12% above national |
| 17 | Kentucky | $69,430 | +11% above national |
| 18 | Arizona | $69,260 | +11% above national |
| 19 | Connecticut | $68,950 | +10% above national |
| 20 | Utah | $67,910 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Wyoming | $66,770 | +7% above national |
| 22 | Mississippi | $65,080 | +4% above national |
| 23 | Michigan | $64,690 | +4% above national |
| 24 | Ohio | $64,140 | +3% above national |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $64,030 | +2% above national |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $62,800 | +1% above national |
| 27 | Louisiana | $62,630 | same as national |
| 28 | Maine | $62,270 | same as national |
| 29 | Virginia | $61,940 | 1% below national |
| 30 | Idaho | $61,690 | 1% below national |
| 31 | North Carolina | $61,190 | 2% below national |
| 32 | Tennessee | $60,240 | 4% below national |
| 33 | South Dakota | $57,430 | 8% below national |
| 34 | South Carolina | $56,060 | 10% below national |
| 35 | New Mexico | $55,710 | 11% below national |
| 36 | Alabama | $51,690 | 17% below national |
| 37 | Colorado | $51,600 | 17% below national |
| 38 | Missouri | $51,560 | 17% below national |
| 39 | Florida | $50,910 | 19% below national |
| 40 | Pennsylvania | $50,840 | 19% below national |
| 41 | Texas | $50,820 | 19% below national |
| 42 | Nebraska | $48,220 | 23% below national |
| 43 | Arkansas | $46,020 | 26% below national |
| 44 | Georgia | $44,670 | 28% below national |
| 45 | Puerto Rico | $38,850 | 38% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 87 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,420 | +51% above national |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $92,870 | +49% above national |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $91,310 | +46% above national |
| 4 | Duluth, MN-WI | $88,290 | +41% above national |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $85,590 | +37% above national |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,300 | +37% above national |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $84,390 | +35% above national |
| 8 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $83,870 | +34% above national |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,760 | +34% above national |
| 10 | Billings, MT | $83,530 | +34% above national |
| 11 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $81,660 | +31% above national |
| 12 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,660 | +29% above national |
| 13 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $80,430 | +29% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,500 | +26% above national |
| 15 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $78,350 | +25% above national |
| 16 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $77,670 | +24% above national |
| 17 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $77,330 | +24% above national |
| 18 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $77,290 | +24% above national |
| 19 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $77,130 | +23% above national |
| 20 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $76,490 | +22% above national |
| 21 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $73,540 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $72,780 | +17% above national |
| 23 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $71,800 | +15% above national |
| 24 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $70,820 | +13% above national |
| 25 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $70,780 | +13% above national |
| 26 | Columbia, SC | $70,620 | +13% above national |
| 27 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $69,910 | +12% above national |
| 28 | Tulsa, OK | $68,950 | +10% above national |
| 29 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $68,850 | +10% above national |
| 30 | Columbus, OH | $68,690 | +10% above national |
| 31 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $67,760 | +8% above national |
| 32 | Arizona nonmetropolitan area | $67,750 | +8% above national |
| 33 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $67,560 | +8% above national |
| 34 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $67,390 | +8% above national |
| 35 | Cleveland, OH | $67,340 | +8% above national |
| 36 | Fresno, CA | $67,180 | +8% above national |
| 37 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $66,420 | +6% above national |
| 38 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $66,170 | +6% above national |
| 39 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $64,030 | +2% above national |
| 40 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $62,470 | same as national |
| 41 | Rapid City, SD | $62,190 | same as national |
| 42 | Lower West Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | $61,920 | 1% below national |
| 43 | Colorado Springs, CO | $61,840 | 1% below national |
| 44 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $61,790 | 1% below national |
| 45 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $61,200 | 2% below national |
| 46 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $61,110 | 2% below national |
| 47 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $60,650 | 3% below national |
| 48 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $60,460 | 3% below national |
| 49 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $60,240 | 4% below national |
| 50 | Midland, TX | $60,100 | 4% below national |
| 51 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $57,880 | 7% below national |
| 52 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $57,800 | 7% below national |
| 53 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $57,700 | 8% below national |
| 54 | Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $57,620 | 8% below national |
| 55 | Boulder, CO | $57,500 | 8% below national |
| 56 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $55,970 | 10% below national |
| 57 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $55,830 | 11% below national |
| 58 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $55,790 | 11% below national |
| 59 | Knoxville, TN | $54,910 | 12% below national |
| 60 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $54,910 | 12% below national |
| 61 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $53,370 | 15% below national |
| 62 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $53,200 | 15% below national |
| 63 | Waco, TX | $52,450 | 16% below national |
| 64 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $52,310 | 16% below national |
| 65 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $51,980 | 17% below national |
| 66 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $51,210 | 18% below national |
| 67 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $50,850 | 19% below national |
| 68 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,840 | 19% below national |
| 69 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $50,720 | 19% below national |
| 70 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $50,190 | 20% below national |
| 71 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $50,140 | 20% below national |
| 72 | Albuquerque, NM | $49,230 | 21% below national |
| 73 | Longview, TX | $49,180 | 21% below national |
| 74 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $49,000 | 22% below national |
| 75 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,550 | 22% below national |
| 76 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $48,330 | 23% below national |
| 77 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $47,860 | 23% below national |
| 78 | Greeley, CO | $46,860 | 25% below national |
| 79 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $45,930 | 26% below national |
| 80 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $44,110 | 29% below national |
| 81 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $44,020 | 30% below national |
| 82 | Jacksonville, FL | $43,810 | 30% below national |
| 83 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $43,130 | 31% below national |
| 84 | Tyler, TX | $40,710 | 35% below national |
| 85 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $38,850 | 38% below national |
| 86 | Amarillo, TX | $38,840 | 38% below national |
| 87 | El Paso, TX | $38,020 | 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
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Is Plant and System Operators, All Other a good career? ▼
How does Plant and System Operators, All Other pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Plant and System Operators, All Other pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $78,480/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: Massachusetts leads at $120,660/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.