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
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 MonitoringOperation and ControlMonitoringReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision MakingCritical 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).
