What is the salary range for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders?

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salaries in the US range from $37,270 at the 10th percentile to $88,460 at the 90th percentile per year.

How many Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders are there in the United States?

An estimated 127,410 people work as Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders across the United States as of 2024.

Average Salary for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders

SOC 51-9011 · Production Occupations · 2024 data

The median annual wage for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in the United States is $57,090 ($27.45/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $37,270 at the 10th percentile to $88,460 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 127,410 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 18.7% since 2014.

Median Annual

$57,090

Mean Annual

$59,800

10th Pct

$37,270

75th Pct

$71,400

Employment

127,410

Salary Distribution

$37k

10th

$46k

25th

$57k

Median

$71k

75th

$88k

90th

Highest Paying Metro Areas

Metro Area	Median Annual	Mean Annual
Baton Rouge, LA	$98,790	$90,640
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX	$98,410	$83,190
Mobile, AL	$82,090	$77,140
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$81,540	$76,070
Midland, MI	$81,270	$73,040
Longview-Kelso, WA	$80,890	$81,740
Gulfport-Biloxi, MS	$79,470	$68,760
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$78,930	$82,380
Decatur, AL	$77,730	$77,690
Corpus Christi, TX	$77,310	$73,940
Kennewick-Richland, WA	$74,450	$68,840
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA	$74,290	$60,570
Lake Charles, LA	$71,740	$74,560
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$70,710	$74,110
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	$68,700	$65,420

Salary by State

State	Median Annual	Mean Annual	Employment
Wyoming	$85,480	$82,260	310
Louisiana	$77,250	$79,550	7,920
Alabama	$72,900	$65,170	3,100
Washington	$65,240	$67,850	1,800
Illinois	$64,270	$65,020	3,490
West Virginia	$63,980	$66,790	1,400
Kentucky	$63,380	$63,650	3,580
Rhode Island	$61,260	$68,260	300
Maryland	$61,190	$64,600	1,150
Delaware	$61,070	$62,670	1,060
Texas	$59,930	$68,090	16,190
Tennessee	$59,090	$59,680	4,170
Indiana	$58,900	$54,570	5,450
Ohio	$58,240	$60,870	7,980
Virginia	$57,250	$57,370	1,670
California	$57,150	$57,980	5,830
Mississippi	$57,020	$56,380	950
South Carolina	$56,580	$56,860	3,710
Oregon	$55,710	$55,990	1,040
Connecticut	$55,400	$58,360	760
Iowa	$55,030	$58,690	2,080
Hawaii	$54,740	$54,760	40
Arkansas	$54,410	$56,430	1,100
New Hampshire	$53,890	$53,470	90
North Carolina	$53,380	$55,640	2,560
New York	$52,380	$54,190	4,550
Maine	$52,150	$52,930	220
New Mexico	$51,680	$58,400	150
Colorado	$50,810	$56,220	760
Missouri	$50,420	$54,270	2,590
Idaho	$50,330	$63,700	210
Minnesota	$50,320	$53,240	1,150
Pennsylvania	$50,170	$54,540	5,420
New Jersey	$49,700	$54,820	8,710
Nebraska	$49,510	$50,540	1,750
Oklahoma	$49,480	$54,180	930
Michigan	$49,450	$56,930	4,910
Massachusetts	$49,420	$54,140	3,200
Kansas	$49,290	$56,160	1,800
Wisconsin	$49,150	$52,300	2,730
Vermont	$48,610	$49,150	—
Georgia	$47,380	$49,070	4,070
South Dakota	$47,060	$47,870	180
Florida	$46,790	$51,560	3,150
Arizona	$46,110	$52,260	1,310
Nevada	$45,560	$47,410	70
Utah	$39,110	$44,460	1,500
Puerto Rico	$37,430	$37,180	2,060

Salary by Industry

National median wage for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.

Industry	Median Annual	Employment
Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$81,290	—
Testing Laboratories and Services	$78,140	—
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$76,890	—
Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$76,870	540
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$76,870	660
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$76,870	660
Scientific Research and Development Services	$76,870	540
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing	$74,250	50
Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$72,860	1,260
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only)	$71,320	130
Paper Manufacturing	$69,900	1,350
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$65,580	630
Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$62,830	400
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)	$62,050	65,730
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$61,580	920
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$61,580	920
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)	$59,320	110
Rubber Product Manufacturing	$58,440	270
Chemical Manufacturing	$57,220	116,680
Manufacturing	$57,130	124,240
Cross-industry, Private Ownership only	$57,100	127,370
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only)	$56,490	180
Repair and Maintenance	$55,710	—
Other Services (except Public Administration)	$55,710	—
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$55,700	440
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$55,020	1,220
Machinery Manufacturing	$54,540	140
Wholesale Trade	$54,190	1,260
Employment Services	$53,760	840
Administrative and Support Services	$53,760	840
Temporary Help Services	$53,760	630
Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$53,720	90
Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation)	$52,450	30
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only)	$52,080	1,010
Grain and Oilseed Milling	$52,050	210
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$51,800	—
Food Manufacturing	$51,350	360
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$51,250	1,020
Primary Metal Manufacturing	$51,230	1,320
Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$51,160	50
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$50,850	400
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$50,760	130
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities	$50,720	110
Other Food Manufacturing	$50,690	60
Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$50,650	1,260
Plastics Product Manufacturing	$50,630	1,000
Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$49,960	70
Foundries	$49,870	130
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$49,190	110
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing	$49,050	50
Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing	$48,670	—
Waste Management and Remediation Services	$48,530	180
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$48,300	30,510
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)	$48,150	20,440
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$48,060	—
Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$47,770	760
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing	$47,650	700
Waste Treatment and Disposal	$46,740	—
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$46,480	140
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only)	$46,150	100

National Wage Trend

View data table

Year	Median Annual	Mean Annual	Employment
2024	$57,090	$59,800	127,410
2023	$51,720	$57,350	120,260
2022	$49,330	$54,210	115,370
2021	$48,090	$52,450	106,170
2020	$50,510	$53,330	93,060
2019	$49,130	$51,540	87,120
2018	$48,770	$51,070	82,880
2017	$47,800	$50,690	77,870
2016	$47,780	$50,300	73,840
2015	$47,220	$49,640	67,650
2014	$48,090	$49,150	64,710