Salary guide, May 2025
Chemical Operator pay in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
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The median annual wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ was $90,470 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $80,380 and $91,360.
The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ median is $12,350 above the national median of $78,120, both from BLS May 2025.
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.
What should you know about new York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $68,590 | $80,380 | $90,470 | $91,360 | $95,390 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $32.98 | $38.65 | $43.50 | $43.92 | $45.86 |
BLS estimated 200 workers employed in this occupation in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Location quotient: 0.2.
What should you know about united States?
| 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 |
What should you know about role pay against all occupations here?
The published Chemical Operator median is $90,470. The all-occupations median in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ is $61,430. Ratio: 1.47 (role median divided by all-occupations median, same units, BLS May 2025). Location quotient 0.2 measures how concentrated this occupation's employment is here against the nation. It is not a wage index.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $80,960 | $87,820 | $92,400 |
| May 2025 | $80,380 | $90,470 | $91,360 |
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.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 51-8091 Chemical Plant and System Operators, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
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.
What should you know about nearby areas?
| Area | Median | 25th to 75th |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $77,260 | $62,760 to $94,670 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $55,210 | $55,070 to $62,980 |