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Top 15 cities for chemical plant and system operators by average salary
| Beaumont, TX | $107,760 |
|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $103,110 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $99,170 |
| Houston, TX | $99,020 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $98,990 |
| Mobile, AL | $91,540 |
| Worcester, MA | $89,040 |
| Portland, OR | $87,710 |
| New Orleans, LA | $86,810 |
| New York, NY | $86,190 |
| Boston, MA | $83,840 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $82,270 |
| Buffalo, NY | $79,780 |
| Richmond, VA | $72,950 |
| Denver, CO | $71,600 |
Map: Chemical Plant and System Operators salary by metro area
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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Chemical Plant and System Operators salary by state
| State | Metros | Highest average | Lowest average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2 | $107,760 | $99,020 |
| California | 1 | $103,110 | $103,110 |
| Louisiana | 3 | $99,170 | $86,810 |
| Alabama | 1 | $91,540 | $91,540 |
| Massachusetts | 2 | $89,040 | $83,840 |
| Oregon | 1 | $87,710 | $87,710 |
| New York | 3 | $86,190 | $64,100 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $82,270 | $70,210 |
| Virginia | 1 | $72,950 | $72,950 |
| Colorado | 1 | $71,600 | $71,600 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $71,300 | $71,300 |
| Washington, D.C. | 1 | $69,890 | $69,890 |
| South Carolina | 3 | $68,840 | $60,140 |
| Maryland | 1 | $68,680 | $68,680 |
| Illinois | 1 | $66,660 | $66,660 |
| North Carolina | 1 | $64,880 | $64,880 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $60,070 | $60,070 |
| South Dakota | 1 | $59,630 | $59,630 |
| Missouri | 1 | $56,420 | $56,420 |
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Chemical Plant and System Operators salary in every city we cover
Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.
| Metro area | Average | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaumont, TX | $107,760 | $117,430 | $51.81 | n/a |
| San Francisco, CA | $103,110 | $111,900 | $49.57 | 300 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $99,170 | $104,410 | $47.68 | 1,720 |
| Houston, TX | $99,020 | $106,020 | $47.61 | 1,420 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $98,990 | $102,310 | $47.59 | 740 |
| Mobile, AL | $91,540 | $96,210 | $44.01 | 110 |
| Worcester, MA | $89,040 | $88,510 | $42.81 | 90 |
| Portland, OR | $87,710 | $87,210 | $42.17 | 100 |
| New Orleans, LA | $86,810 | $92,260 | $41.74 | 460 |
| New York, NY | $86,190 | $90,470 | $41.44 | 200 |
| Boston, MA | $83,840 | $82,170 | $40.31 | 410 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $82,270 | $77,260 | $39.55 | 310 |
| Buffalo, NY | $79,780 | $84,390 | $38.36 | 30 |
| Richmond, VA | $72,950 | $77,930 | $35.07 | 340 |
| Denver, CO | $71,600 | $68,590 | $34.42 | 130 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $71,300 | $69,710 | $34.28 | n/a |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $70,210 | $64,360 | $33.76 | 280 |
| Washington, DC | $69,890 | $66,640 | $33.60 | 130 |
| Charleston, SC | $68,840 | $67,540 | $33.09 | 80 |
| Hagerstown, MD | $68,680 | $66,840 | $33.02 | 50 |
| Chicago, IL | $66,660 | $65,750 | $32.05 | 110 |
| Greensboro, NC | $64,880 | $65,450 | $31.19 | 90 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $64,250 | $68,810 | $30.89 | 100 |
| Albany, NY | $64,100 | $55,210 | $30.82 | 70 |
| Greenville, SC | $60,140 | $60,430 | $28.92 | 100 |
| Memphis, TN | $60,070 | $57,370 | $28.88 | 100 |
| Sioux Falls, SD | $59,630 | $62,160 | $28.67 | 30 |
| St. Louis, MO | $56,420 | $52,330 | $27.12 | 190 |
Related jobs
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsU.S. metro average $64,958
- Power Plant OperatorsU.S. metro average $102,474
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsU.S. metro average $88,544
- Plant and System Operators, All OtherU.S. metro average $66,170
- Power Distributors and DispatchersU.S. metro average $117,081
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersU.S. metro average $93,320
- Gas Plant OperatorsU.S. metro average $89,876
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
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Chemical Plant and System Operators salary: questions
Where do chemical plant and system operators make the most money?
In Beaumont, TX, with an average of $107,760 a year, among the 28 metro areas we cover.
What is the average chemical plant and system operators salary in the U.S.?
$88,696 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where is chemical plant and system operators pay the lowest?
St. Louis, MO, at $56,420 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-8091.
- U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.