Chemical Plant and System Operators Wages
SOC 51-8091 • Full occupation profile
The median annual wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators is $80,030 nationally (2023 BLS OEWS). The 10th percentile is $47,650 and the 90th percentile is $108,470, showing the wide spread of wages in this occupation.
National Wage Distribution (2023)
Employment
17,980
P10
$47,650
P25
$59,830
Median
$80,030
P75
$99,960
P90
$108,470
National Wage Trend
How national median and mean wages for Chemical Plant and System Operators have moved across BLS OEWS release years.
| Year | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Employment | YoY Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $80,030 | $79,450 | $47,650 | $108,470 | 17,980 | — |
| 2022 | $82,670 | $79,290 | $45,930 | $107,680 | 18,710 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $70,200 | $69,020 | $38,340 | $99,960 | 21,740 | -15.08% |
| 2020 | $65,960 | $65,460 | $38,160 | $95,860 | 29,710 | -6.04% |
Wages by State (2023)
State-level OEWS wage estimates for Chemical Plant and System Operators. The highest median is in North Dakota at $107,090, 34% above the U.S. median.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Mean Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $107,090 | +33.8% | $99,540 | 460 |
| New Jersey | $106,530 | +33.1% | $90,070 | 190 |
| Texas | $104,620 | +30.7% | $100,980 | 3,870 |
| California | $103,300 | +29.1% | $96,920 | 270 |
| Wyoming | $99,010 | +23.7% | $95,820 | — |
| Louisiana | $95,120 | +18.9% | $86,730 | 4,260 |
| Maryland | $84,620 | +5.7% | $78,980 | 380 |
| Alabama | $83,170 | +3.9% | $77,770 | 720 |
| Washington | $72,110 | -9.9% | $79,390 | 310 |
| Michigan | $71,420 | -10.8% | $71,070 | 170 |
| Missouri | $69,030 | -13.7% | $70,590 | 100 |
| Montana | $68,320 | -14.6% | $71,030 | 150 |
| Mississippi | $67,370 | -15.8% | $67,880 | 200 |
| Ohio | $66,750 | -16.6% | $67,740 | 880 |
| Florida | $65,970 | -17.6% | $65,920 | 280 |
| Illinois | $65,040 | -18.7% | $68,830 | — |
| Minnesota | $64,870 | -18.9% | $75,660 | 70 |
| Tennessee | $64,690 | -19.2% | $62,520 | 490 |
| Wisconsin | $64,610 | -19.3% | $66,210 | 110 |
| Oregon | $63,610 | -20.5% | $69,440 | 300 |
| South Carolina | $63,150 | -21.1% | $59,040 | 320 |
| Colorado | $61,550 | -23.1% | $64,800 | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,260 | -23.5% | $61,660 | 260 |
| Massachusetts | $59,830 | -25.2% | $71,620 | 230 |
| Iowa | $58,730 | -26.6% | $58,490 | 180 |
| South Dakota | $54,700 | -31.7% | $52,830 | 210 |
| New York | $53,890 | -32.7% | $61,970 | 140 |
| North Carolina | $53,350 | -33.3% | $55,110 | 480 |
| Georgia | $51,330 | -35.9% | $52,890 | 540 |
| Utah | $50,650 | -36.7% | $54,620 | — |
| West Virginia | $50,580 | -36.8% | $56,550 | 360 |
| Indiana | $44,770 | -44.1% | $49,020 | 310 |
| Arkansas | $43,540 | -45.6% | $45,910 | 170 |
| Virginia | $35,070 | -56.2% | $35,570 | 230 |