SOC 51-8091 · Production Occupations
Chemical Plant and System Operators wages by metro
National median annual wage
$78,120
- 10th percentile
- $48,400
- 25th percentile
- $60,330
- Median
- $78,120
- 75th percentile
- $98,660
- 90th percentile
- $111,930
- Mean
- $79,970
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 16,610.
That median is 53.2% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | Not available | $91,490 | $117,430 | $119,330 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 300 | $86,410 | $111,900 | $111,930 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,420 | $59,920 | $106,020 | $124,930 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 1,720 | $73,150 | $104,410 | $122,600 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 740 | $50,910 | $102,310 | $121,530 |
| Mobile, AL | 110 | $74,520 | $96,210 | $103,130 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 460 | $46,480 | $92,260 | $124,770 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 200 | $68,590 | $90,470 | $95,390 |
| Worcester, MA | 90 | $66,660 | $88,510 | $106,890 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 100 | $59,610 | $87,210 | $102,330 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 30 | $57,300 | $84,390 | $88,120 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 410 | $64,870 | $82,170 | $98,600 |
| Richmond, VA | 340 | $43,330 | $77,930 | $96,520 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 310 | $58,310 | $77,260 | $123,390 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Not available | $50,980 | $69,710 | $89,540 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 100 | $48,170 | $68,810 | $72,000 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 130 | $58,890 | $68,590 | $82,750 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 80 | $51,380 | $67,540 | $78,670 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 50 | $52,250 | $66,840 | $85,220 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 130 | $41,830 | $66,640 | $100,300 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | 1,720 | $73,150 | $104,410 | $122,600 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,420 | $59,920 | $106,020 | $124,930 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 740 | $50,910 | $102,310 | $121,530 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 460 | $46,480 | $92,260 | $124,770 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 410 | $64,870 | $82,170 | $98,600 |
| Richmond, VA | 340 | $43,330 | $77,930 | $96,520 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 310 | $58,310 | $77,260 | $123,390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 300 | $86,410 | $111,900 | $111,930 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 280 | $62,130 | $64,360 | $80,940 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 200 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 200 | $68,590 | $90,470 | $95,390 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 190 | $48,390 | $52,330 | $64,570 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 130 | $58,890 | $68,590 | $82,750 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 130 | $41,830 | $66,640 | $100,300 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 110 | $47,630 | $65,750 | $83,690 |
| Mobile, AL | 110 | $74,520 | $96,210 | $103,130 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 100 | $46,350 | $60,430 | $72,350 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 100 | $44,440 | $57,370 | $76,970 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 100 | $59,610 | $87,210 | $102,330 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 100 | $48,170 | $68,810 | $72,000 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 60 | $64,820 | $128,830 | $135,880 |
| Wyoming | 300 | $88,360 | $107,810 | $114,380 |
| Texas | 2,360 | $52,460 | $102,750 | $124,220 |
| Louisiana | 3,400 | $62,890 | $100,060 | $122,560 |
| Kentucky | 40 | $72,820 | $97,550 | $135,500 |
| Maryland | 290 | $62,390 | $95,150 | $99,760 |
| Alabama | 230 | $56,500 | $91,610 | $101,800 |
| Arkansas | 240 | $74,420 | $91,610 | $97,280 |
| California | 780 | $73,900 | $87,550 | $111,930 |
| Oregon | 120 | $68,550 | $87,110 | $102,330 |
| New Jersey | 330 | $62,760 | $86,820 | $115,500 |
| Massachusetts | 570 | $64,870 | $83,710 | $98,630 |
| Idaho | 60 | $54,740 | $82,980 | $97,320 |
| West Virginia | 380 | $44,210 | $81,710 | $90,250 |
| New Mexico | Not available | $70,190 | $72,610 | $75,350 |
| Michigan | 40 | $31,890 | $72,430 | $102,190 |
| Mississippi | 320 | $46,920 | $71,080 | $103,400 |
| Pennsylvania | 770 | $54,770 | $70,110 | $90,420 |
| South Carolina | 610 | $49,080 | $68,510 | $75,120 |
| Ohio | 240 | $51,170 | $67,580 | $75,890 |
| Minnesota | 150 | $50,010 | $66,500 | $81,680 |
| Illinois | 160 | $60,580 | $65,710 | $83,690 |
| Utah | 320 | $52,970 | $63,460 | $65,640 |
| Virginia | 760 | $36,330 | $63,000 | $84,800 |
| New York | 120 | $55,070 | $62,980 | $90,690 |
| North Carolina | 660 | $50,790 | $62,920 | $78,580 |
| Colorado | 400 | $54,340 | $62,870 | $81,550 |
| Wisconsin | 90 | $49,180 | $62,720 | $80,060 |
| Iowa | 490 | $46,220 | $60,440 | $65,850 |
| Washington | 350 | $45,760 | $60,120 | $114,010 |
| South Dakota | 180 | $49,790 | $59,970 | $65,640 |
| Missouri | 450 | $46,590 | $55,470 | $78,040 |
| Georgia | 220 | $40,710 | $49,230 | $71,020 |
| Indiana | 320 | $39,140 | $49,110 | $67,470 |
| Tennessee | 350 | $41,620 | $45,830 | $74,850 |
Other production occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Machinists
- Production Workers, All Other
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators is $78,120. Employment is 16,610.
How does Chemical Plant and System Operators pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Chemical Plant and System Operators is 53.2% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Chemical Plant and System Operators?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX is highest on this page's list at $117,430.