Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary, Job Outlook & Education | Career Matchup
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Chemical Plant and System Operators

51-8091

Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.

Median annual wage

$78,120

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Projected change

-5.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Annual openings

1.3k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

National employment

16,610

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Read the data in context

Career Matchup does not declare an overall winner. National estimates can hide local variation, and O*NET relative values describe the named construct rather than whether a career is better.

01 · Compensation

Pay and employment

National estimates are shown with the reference year from the BLS source row. Missing source values stay visible as Not available.

Median annual wage

$78,120

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Mean annual wage

$79,970

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Hourly median wage

$37.56

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Hourly mean wage

$38.45

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

10th percentile annual wage

$48,400

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

25th percentile annual wage

$60,330

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

75th percentile annual wage

$98,660

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

90th percentile annual wage

$111,930

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

National employment

16,610

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8091

02 · Outlook

Employment outlook

BLS projections describe the national occupation outlook across the published projection period.

Projected employment change

-5.2%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Average annual openings

1.3k

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Projection period: 2025-2035

Annual openings are reported in thousands in the BLS source.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

03 · Preparation

Education and training

These are the typical preparation categories reported for the occupation, not a guarantee of any individual employer's requirements.

Typical entry-level education

High school diploma or equivalent

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

Related work experience

Not available

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

On-the-job training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8091

04 · Work context

What the work is like

O*NET context measures use their source scale identifier and a documented relative bar. A higher bar means more of the named construct, not a universal improvement.

Contact with others

4.3 raw · CX scale
82% relative

Relative scale: 82% · raw 4.28 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Time pressure

4.6 raw · CX scale
89% relative

Relative scale: 89% · raw 4.56 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Spend time standing

3.1 raw · CX scale
52% relative

Relative scale: 52% · raw 3.06 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Exposed to contaminants

4.1 raw · CX scale
78% relative

Relative scale: 78% · raw 4.12 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Exposed to disease or infections

1.2 raw · CX scale
5% relative

Relative scale: 5% · raw 1.22 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Exposed to hazardous equipment

3.5 raw · CX scale
61% relative

Relative scale: 61% · raw 3.45 · CX

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

05 · Fit signals

Skills and work styles

These measurements describe skills and work-style characteristics associated with the occupation in O*NET.

Monitoring

3.8 raw · LV scale
54% relative

Relative scale: 54% · raw 3.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Active listening

3.5 raw · LV scale
50% relative

Relative scale: 50% · raw 3.5 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Critical thinking

3.5 raw · LV scale
50% relative

Relative scale: 50% · raw 3.5 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Reading comprehension

3.4 raw · LV scale
48% relative

Relative scale: 48% · raw 3.38 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Active learning

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Speaking

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Writing

3 raw · LV scale
43% relative

Relative scale: 43% · raw 3 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Learning strategies

2.8 raw · LV scale
39% relative

Relative scale: 39% · raw 2.75 · LV

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Dependability

2.7 raw · WI scale
94% relative

Relative scale: 94% · raw 2.65 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Attention to detail

2.6 raw · WI scale
93% relative

Relative scale: 93% · raw 2.57 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Stress tolerance

2.2 raw · WI scale
86% relative

Relative scale: 86% · raw 2.17 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

Cooperation

1 raw · WI scale
67% relative

Relative scale: 67% · raw 1.03 · WI

Source: O*NET Resource Center · O*NET Database
Release: 31.0 · Reference/year: August 2026 · Occupation code: 51-8091.00

06 · Evidence

Sources and limitations

Every displayed value retains the dataset release, reference period, and occupation code used to publish it.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release May 2025 · Reference 2025

Occupation code 51-8091 · SHA-256 b5855a37f3e03e779f6fbf173d3bbc94aeeff33426aef32fa95ce6d025bab1af

Employment Projections

Source-backed

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Release 2025-2035 · Reference 2025-2035

Occupation code 51-8091 · SHA-256 a7d060f0576f7d4f5b829b9a0bb4a6c11a12766d159ebb0e07aab5bd2e7583c5

O*NET Database

Source-backed

O*NET Resource Center

Release 31.0 · Reference August 2026

Occupation code 51-8091.00 · SHA-256 c63ad00a8e45f3d3ef8e1529fcf8864d2279f2dfcb98737436818f5664781b04

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Verified career

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51-8093

Operate or control petroleum refining or processing units. May specialize in controlling manifold and pumping systems, gauging or testing oil in storage tanks, or regulating the flow of oil into pipelines.

Median pay

$96,710

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8093

Growth

-1.9%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8093

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51-8012

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Median pay

$106,730

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8012

Growth

1.2%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8012

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Verified career

Gas Plant Operators

51-8092

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Median pay

$87,820

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8092

Growth

-6%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8092

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Verified career

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

51-8031

Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Median pay

$60,020

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Release: May 2025 · Reference/year: 2025 · Occupation code: 51-8031

Growth

-5.7%

Source: Employment Projections
Release: 2025-2035 · Reference/year: 2025-2035 · Occupation code: 51-8031

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Data sourcesData availabilityAboutFree guideContactPrivacyTermsData: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET® Database.