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Chemical operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$58,040median pay per year, or $27.90 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $37,440lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,97025th percentile
  3. $58,040median
  4. $74,08075th percentile
  5. $92,250top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Chemical equipment operators and tenders, also reported by workers as chemical operators, had a median pay of $58,040 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.6%[2]
Openings per year
13,900[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do chemical operators make?

The median pay for chemical equipment operators and tenders was $58,040 a year, or $27.90 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers made more and half made less. The mean (average) was $60,710 a year, or $29.19 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[4], so the median here is higher.

Pay varies a lot within the job. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $37,440 a year, and the 25th percentile was $45,970[3]. The 75th percentile was $74,080 and the 90th percentile was $92,250[3]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $18.00 and the 90th percentile was $44.35[8]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[3] $37,440
25th percentile[3] $45,970
Median[1] $58,040
75th percentile[3] $74,080
90th percentile[3] $92,250

These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits like health insurance[10]. About 139,630 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Wyoming had the highest median pay at $101,590 a year, but it had only 290 jobs[12]. Alabama followed at $80,330 and Montana at $79,570, and Montana had just 40 jobs[12]. Utah was last in the list at $39,020[12]. Data was published for 47 states[12].

Among metro areas with the highest pay, Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX came first at $96,790[13]. New Orleans-Metairie, LA followed at $94,450[13], and Baton Rouge, LA was third at $93,920[13].

Texas had the most jobs, with 20,880, then New Jersey with 8,560 and Ohio with 7,830[14]. Among metro areas, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX had the most jobs at 9,390, with a median of $79,430[15]. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had 8,060 jobs with a median of $54,790[15].

Show median pay in 47 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Wyoming[12]$101,590290
Alabama$80,3303,280
Montana$79,57040
Louisiana$78,5806,430
Idaho$77,100550
Rhode Island$69,630430
Washington$67,3001,720
West Virginia$66,0601,190
Arkansas$64,4401,160
Mississippi$64,360990
Delaware$63,2001,160
Illinois$61,9405,580
Tennessee$60,9603,860
New Mexico$60,910170
Ohio$60,5507,830
Texas$60,15020,880
Virginia$59,9702,040
Maryland$59,8501,220
Nebraska$59,7501,020
Nevada$58,520210
Connecticut$58,490860
California$58,3005,670
Iowa$57,5502,010
Kentucky$57,5303,590
Maine$57,240250
Massachusetts$56,9202,860
Indiana$56,8006,240
Pennsylvania$56,6306,230
Oregon$56,510950
New Jersey$56,5008,560
South Carolina$56,2404,040
Kansas$54,8901,920
Minnesota$53,3401,170
Wisconsin$50,8702,730
Missouri$50,6402,790
Colorado$50,370910
Oklahoma$50,160790
Michigan$50,0605,210
Georgia$49,6604,330
North Carolina$49,6505,260
New York$49,6404,270
New Hampshire$49,440350
South Dakota$48,830230
Hawaii$47,84030
Arizona$45,7901,330
Florida$44,3604,270
Utah$39,0202,610

How to become a chemical operator

O*NET places this job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation is needed[16]. The facts do not say how long the training lasts, and they do not name any license or exam.

What chemical operators do

O*NET describes the work as running or tending equipment that controls chemical changes or reactions when making industrial or consumer products[17]. Common tasks include:

Workers report titles such as chemical process operator, chemical reactor operator and process equipment operator[19].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 140,800 to 145,800 jobs, a change of +5,000[2]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[20]. So this job is expected to grow at about the same pace as jobs overall. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS expects about 13,900 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[5]. Openings count jobs left by workers who retire or switch to other fields, and also new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.6% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 6.8% to move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The entry steps are modest. The typical path asks for a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. The median pay is above the all-occupations median, at $58,040 against $50,980[1][4]. Pay also differs a lot by place, and the four metro areas with the highest medians were in Texas and Louisiana[13]. Job growth is about level with the average for all jobs, and there are steady openings each year[2][20][5]. The facts here do not cover costs, schedules or working conditions.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chemical operator make an hour?
The median for chemical equipment operators and tenders was $27.90 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $29.19[1][7].
What education do you need to be a chemical operator?
The typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Are chemical operator jobs in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations[2][20]. About 13,900 openings a year are projected[5].
What is the highest paying state for chemical operators?
Wyoming, with a median of $101,590 a year in May 2025, though it had only 290 jobs[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in the US was $58,040 per year and $27.90 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders is projected to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 140,800 to 145,800 jobs (a change of +5,000). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $37,440, 25th percentile $45,970, 75th percentile $74,080, 90th percentile $92,250. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 13,900 openings for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders was $60,710 per year and $29.19 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $18.00, 25th percentile $22.10, 75th percentile $35.62, 90th percentile $44.35. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 139,630 people were employed as Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $96,790; New Orleans-Metairie, LA $94,450; Baton Rouge, LA $93,920; Corpus Christi, TX $91,560; Mobile, AL $84,740; Montgomery, AL $84,360; Decatur, AL $82,170; Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $82,050. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders jobs: Texas 20,880; New Jersey 8,560; Ohio 7,830; Louisiana 6,430; Indiana 6,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders jobs: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 9,390 (median $79,430); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 8,060 (median $54,790); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 4,510 (median $61,250); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,110 (median $60,410); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 3,640 (median $47,230); Baton Rouge, LA 2,500 (median $93,920). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 51-9011.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET description of Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET task list for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 51-9011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Chemical Operator (Chemical Tech), Chemical Process Operator, Chemical Reactor Operator, Chlorination Operator, Multiskill Operator, Outside Operator, Process Equipment Operator, Process Operator. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders: 2.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  22. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.