SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels. Excludes “Chemical Plant and System Operators” (51-8091).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $37,440 | $3,120 | $720 | $18.00 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $45,970 | $3,831 | $884 | $22.10 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $58,040 | $4,837 | $1,116 | $27.90 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $74,080 | $6,173 | $1,425 | $35.62 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $92,250 | $7,688 | $1,774 | $44.35 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders is $58,040, which is 14% higher. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 19 by median pay. With 139,630 jobs, it makes up about 9.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pay by state
The highest median pay was in Wyoming ($101,590), Alabama ($80,330) and Montana ($79,570). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($36,450), Utah ($39,020) and Florida ($44,360). The most jobs were in Texas (20,880), New Jersey (8,560) and Ohio (7,830). The occupation is most concentrated in Louisiana, where its share of all jobs is 3.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 290 | $101,590 | $84,480 | $48.84 |
| Alabama | 3,280 | $80,330 | $70,250 | $38.62 |
| Montana | 40 | $79,570 | $77,590 | $38.25 |
| Louisiana | 6,430 | $78,580 | $79,770 | $37.78 |
| Idaho | 550 | $77,100 | $68,400 | $37.07 |
| Rhode Island | 430 | $69,630 | $73,080 | $33.48 |
| Washington | 1,720 | $67,300 | $68,000 | $32.36 |
| West Virginia | 1,190 | $66,060 | $70,410 | $31.76 |
| Arkansas | 1,160 | $64,440 | $64,900 | $30.98 |
| Mississippi | 990 | $64,360 | $60,140 | $30.94 |
| Delaware | 1,160 | $63,200 | $65,630 | $30.39 |
| Illinois | 5,580 | $61,940 | $64,120 | $29.78 |
| Tennessee | 3,860 | $60,960 | $57,020 | $29.31 |
| New Mexico | 170 | $60,910 | $63,230 | $29.28 |
| Ohio | 7,830 | $60,550 | $63,120 | $29.11 |
| Texas | 20,880 | $60,150 | $68,970 | $28.92 |
| Virginia | 2,040 | $59,970 | $59,350 | $28.83 |
| Maryland | 1,220 | $59,850 | $59,650 | $28.78 |
| Nebraska | 1,020 | $59,750 | $57,300 | $28.73 |
| Nevada | 210 | $58,520 | $58,690 | $28.14 |
| Connecticut | 860 | $58,490 | $58,620 | $28.12 |
| California | 5,670 | $58,300 | $60,460 | $28.03 |
| Iowa | 2,010 | $57,550 | $60,430 | $27.67 |
| Kentucky | 3,590 | $57,530 | $61,950 | $27.66 |
| Maine | 250 | $57,240 | $55,700 | $27.52 |
| Massachusetts | 2,860 | $56,920 | $57,580 | $27.37 |
| Indiana | 6,240 | $56,800 | $56,010 | $27.31 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,230 | $56,630 | $58,170 | $27.22 |
| Oregon | 950 | $56,510 | $59,530 | $27.17 |
| New Jersey | 8,560 | $56,500 | $58,670 | $27.17 |
| South Carolina | 4,040 | $56,240 | $55,270 | $27.04 |
| Kansas | 1,920 | $54,890 | $56,800 | $26.39 |
| Minnesota | 1,170 | $53,340 | $55,130 | $25.64 |
| Wisconsin | 2,730 | $50,870 | $54,510 | $24.46 |
| Missouri | 2,790 | $50,640 | $54,290 | $24.35 |
| Colorado | 910 | $50,370 | $54,540 | $24.22 |
| Oklahoma | 790 | $50,160 | $56,100 | $24.12 |
| Michigan | 5,210 | $50,060 | $56,570 | $24.07 |
| Georgia | 4,330 | $49,660 | $51,900 | $23.87 |
| North Carolina | 5,260 | $49,650 | $53,270 | $23.87 |
| New York | 4,270 | $49,640 | $54,890 | $23.87 |
| New Hampshire | 350 | $49,440 | $53,430 | $23.77 |
| South Dakota | 230 | $48,830 | $51,430 | $23.48 |
| Hawaii | 30 | $47,840 | $50,890 | $23.00 |
| Arizona | 1,330 | $45,790 | $50,800 | $22.01 |
| Florida | 4,270 | $44,360 | $47,040 | $21.33 |
| Utah | 2,610 | $39,020 | $45,400 | $18.76 |
| Puerto Rico | 2,420 | $36,450 | $37,990 | $17.52 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Plant and System Operators, All Other$62,470 a year
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$60,020 a year
- Machinists$58,750 a year
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic$58,000 a year
- Tire Builders$57,390 a year
- Model Makers, Wood$56,550 a year
Common questions
How much do Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders earn in the United States?
The median pay was $58,040 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,440 and the highest-paid 10% more than $92,250.
How many people work as Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders?
About 139,630 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.