How much does a chemical plant and system operator make?

The median pay is $37.56 per hour — roughly $78,000 a year, with the real range running from about $23.27/hr (10th percentile) to $53.81/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a chemical plant and system operator?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a chemical plant and system operator actually do all day?

Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions. Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel. Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.

Manufacturing & Production

Chemical Plant and System Operators

Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.

What it pays
Chemical Plant and System Operators earn a median of $37.56/hr — about $78,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $23.27/hr; the top 10% earn $53.81/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions.
Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel.
Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.
Move control settings to make necessary adjustments on equipment units affecting speeds of chemical reactions, quality, or yields.
Inspect operating units, such as towers, soap-spray storage tanks, scrubbers, collectors, or driers to ensure that all are functioning and to maintain maximum efficiency.
Draw samples of products and conduct quality control tests to monitor processing and to ensure that standards are met.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0% of chemical plant and system operators are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on, organized and detail-focused and analytical.

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Quick questions

How much does a chemical plant and system operator make?: The median pay is $37.56 per hour — roughly $78,000 a year, with the real range running from about $23.27/hr (10th percentile) to $53.81/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a chemical plant and system operator?: The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).
What does a chemical plant and system operator actually do all day?: Monitor recording instruments, flowmeters, panel lights, or other indicators and listen for warning signals to verify conformity of process conditions. Regulate or shut down equipment during emergency situations, as directed by supervisory personnel. Control or operate chemical processes or systems of machines, using panelboards, control boards, or semi-automatic equipment.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.