Salary guide, May 2025
Chemical Operator pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in the United States was $78,120 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $60,330 and $98,660.
Also searched as: Process Operator, Chemical Plant Operator, Batch Operator, Compounder. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Direct match · SOC 51-8091 Chemical Plant and System Operators
Chemical Operator is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $48,400 | $60,330 | $78,120 | $98,660 | $111,930 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $23.27 | $29.01 | $37.56 | $47.44 | $53.81 |
BLS estimated 16,610 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-8091 Chemical Plant and System Operators, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,470 | $80,380 to $91,360 | 200 | 0.2 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $90,470 | $80,380 to $91,360 | 200 | 0.2 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $65,750 | $57,860 to $74,770 | 110 | 0.23 |
Rank every metro for Chemical Operator
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$110,120 Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$110,120 Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$82,200 Manufacturing$80,420 Chemical Manufacturing$80,350 Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)$79,260 Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$72,180 Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$72,180 Food Manufacturing$67,780 Primary Metal Manufacturing$64,360 Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$58,150
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$110,120
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$110,120
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$82,200
- Manufacturing$80,420
- Chemical Manufacturing$80,350
- Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)$79,260
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$72,180
- Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing$72,180
- Food Manufacturing$67,780
- Primary Metal Manufacturing$64,360
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$58,150
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 14,510 | $62,160 | $80,420 | $101,100 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 13,380 | $61,410 | $80,350 | $100,460 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 11,340 | $63,460 | $82,200 | $103,950 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 1,410 | $51,310 | $58,150 | $65,750 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 630 | $57,130 | $79,260 | $90,210 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 570 | $97,280 | $110,120 | $111,930 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 570 | $97,280 | $110,120 | $111,930 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 300 | $64,260 | $64,360 | $65,350 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 160 | $59,820 | $72,180 | $94,880 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 160 | $59,820 | $72,180 | $94,880 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 30 | $67,210 | $67,780 | $75,290 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Chemical Operator, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $57,080 | $73,540 | $98,050 |
| May 2025 | $60,330 | $78,120 | $98,660 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
What should you know about supervisory and worker occupations?
BLS publishes these as separate occupations. Pay for one is not a pay step for the other.
- Supervisor occupation: Production Supervisor pay (SOC 51-1011)
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about board operator work and control systems?
Control Room operators watch screens, respond to alarms and manage a process through a distributed control system or operator interface. We ask which systems they used, how many loops they managed and how they handled alarm floods. Field operators and board operators are different hires, so we confirm which you need.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Chemical Operator?
The median annual wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in the United States was $78,120 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $60,330 and $98,660.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $48,400. 90% earned less than $111,930.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Chemical Operator at a plant?
Chemical Operator is shown within the broader published occupation. BLS does not separate this plant-specific title, seniority, shift, process or credential. Compare the duties with the SOC definition before using the range. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 16,610 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
The national middle-band width for this occupation is $38,330, extending from the P25 salary of $60,330 to the P75 salary of $98,660. The Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing industry reports a national median of $110,120, while specialized Chemical Manufacturing sectors show a median of $82,200.
Manufacturing Headhunters analyzes the Chemical Operator role, which is classified under SOC 51-8091 for Chemical Plant and System Operators. The national median annual wage is $78,120, reflecting a significant $4,580 increase since May 2024. This role requires technical competence in handling batch tickets, managing reactor parameters, and maintaining safety protocols such as PSM and HAZWOPER, which are essential for high-hazard chemical processing environments.
The national middle-band width for this occupation is $38,330, extending from the P25 salary of $60,330 to the P75 salary of $98,660. The Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing industry reports a national median of $110,120, while specialized Chemical Manufacturing sectors show a median of $82,200. These values reflect the premium pay common in highly regulated sectors, which contrast with the broader occupational median for all chemical operators.
Looking at regional data, the Baton Rouge, LA, area reports a median of $104,410 with a location quotient of 39.39, reflecting the heavy reliance on this role in the local industrial base. The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, area reports a median of $106,020 with a location quotient of 4.05. These high location quotients demonstrate a dense concentration of chemical operations, which aligns with the higher regional median wages found in these areas.
These figures represent base salary and omit variable components such as shift differentials, overtime, and incentive bonuses, which are common in continuous-process chemical plants. Because the BLS data aggregates all chemical operators, including both board and field roles, the provided range should be treated as a benchmark. Hiring managers should consider that the high-stakes nature of this work often requires compensation strategies that exceed these national medians to ensure both retention and safety.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
What is the P25/P75 middle-band width for chemical operators?
The national middle-band width is $38,330. This range spans from $60,330 at the 25th percentile to $98,660 at the 75th percentile.
How did the median annual wage change between May 2024 and May 2025?
The median wage increased by $4,580, moving from $73,540 in May 2024 to $78,120 in May 2025. This indicates strong upward pressure on pay for this occupation.
What do the high location quotients in Baton Rouge and Houston signify?
A high location quotient signifies that the specific job type is much more concentrated in that area than nationally. It highlights regional industrial clusters rather than local wage rates.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4