Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in Pennsylvania: $60,000 Average

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Average base salary, Pennsylvania

$60,000 / year

≈ $5,000 per month · $28.85 per hour

LocationOr metro area

BLS May 2025 state data for Pennsylvania · median $58,500

25th percentile
$47,500Average
$60,00075th percentile
$72,000

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 within the function in the Production job family.

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 pay by experience level

Entry level$39,000

Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)

Early career$47,500

A few years in (about the 25th percentile)

Experienced$60,000

Mid-career median pay

Senior$76,500

Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)

Top earners$95,500

Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)

Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.

Job outlook

+3.3%

projected change in jobs, 2024–2034

14,400

projected openings per year

Growing about as fast as average

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salary by industry

Chemical Manufacturing

124,330 workers

$63,000

Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)

71,950 workers

$68,500

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing

32,560 workers

$56,000

Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)

19,830 workers

$53,500

Administrative and Support Services

2,550 workers

$46,500

Employment Services

2,530 workers

$46,500

Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing

2,060 workers

$93,000

Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing

2,060 workers

$93,000

Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing

1,630 workers

$59,500

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

1,620 workers

$60,000

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

How this role compares

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pays 13% above the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).

Similar-paying roles in Production

Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic$62,500

Machinist$61,500

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

Gem and Diamond 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

Biofuels Processing Technician$68,000

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$57,500

Careers related to Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

Chemical Plant and System Operators$83,000

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

Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,500

Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$46,000

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

Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,500

Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.

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 $56,000 across 112 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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