Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in Kentucky: $64,000 Average

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Average base salary, Kentucky

$64,000 / year

≈ $5,350 per month · $30.77 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Kentucky · median $59,500

25th percentile
$47,500Average
$64,00075th percentile
$82,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salary by state

Alabama$72,500

Arizona$52,500

Arkansas$67,000

California$62,500

Colorado$56,500

Connecticut$60,500

Delaware$68,000

Florida$48,500

Georgia$53,500

Hawaii$52,500

Idaho$71,000

Illinois$66,500

Indiana$58,000

Iowa$62,500

Kansas$59,000

Kentucky$64,000

Louisiana$82,500

Maine$57,500

Maryland$61,500

Massachusetts$59,500

Michigan$58,500

Minnesota$57,000

Mississippi$62,000

Missouri$56,000

Montana$80,500

Nebraska$59,500

Nevada$60,500

New Hampshire$55,500

New Jersey$60,500

New Mexico$65,500

New York$57,000

North Carolina$55,000

Ohio$65,500

Oklahoma$58,000

Oregon$61,500

Pennsylvania$60,000

Rhode Island$75,500

South Carolina$57,000

South Dakota$53,000

Tennessee$59,000

Texas$71,500

Utah$47,000

Virginia$61,500

Washington$70,500

West Virginia$73,000

Wisconsin$56,500

Wyoming$87,500

About this role

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders is a professional role in the Production job family, focused on Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

What Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenderss do

Typical education: High School Diploma

Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
Control or operate equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the processing of industrial or consumer products.
Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.

Top skills: Operations Monitoring Operation and Control Monitoring Reading Comprehension Judgment and Decision Making Critical Thinking

Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salary by industry

Sectors 31, 32, and 33 – Manufacturing

134,210 workers

$63,000

Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

2,800 workers

$47,500

Wholesale Trade

1,750 workers

$61,000

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

670 workers

$73,500

Sectors 44 and 45 – Retail Trade

60 workers

$49,000

Sectors 48 and 49 – Transportation and Warehousing$53,500

National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.

How this role compares

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pays 15% above the average across 105 roles in the Production job family (family average $55,000).

Similar-paying roles in Production

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic$62,500

Machinist$61,500

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$64,500

Jewelers and Precious Stone and Metal Workers$60,000

Model Makers, Wood$66,000

Tire Builder$59,000

Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$58,500

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,000

Plant and System Operators, All Other$68,000

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$57,500

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders make?

The average base salary for a Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in the United States is $63,000 per year, or about $30.29 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $47,500 and $76,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Production roles?

The Production job family averages $55,000 across 105 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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