Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (SOC 51-9011) earn a median $58,040 a year ($27.90 an hour) in the United States, with 139,630 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Wyoming.
What chemical equipment operators and tenders do
Chemical equipment operators and tenders work with equipment in which chemical changes or reactions take place during the manufacture of industrial and consumer products, such as reactors, devulcanizers, and steam-jacketed kettles. Operators who control entire chemical processes or systems are excluded and classified as chemical plant and system operators. They adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, and the flow of liquids or gases, and to time reactions according to their knowledge of the equipment and process. Rounds through the work area help them spot leaks or malfunctions, and at set points they draw product samples for laboratory analysis. Records of temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, and test results are kept. Safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions are part of the job, and product samples are tested for specific gravity, pH, concentration, or viscosity or sent to laboratories. Titles listed include acid cleaner, acetylene plant operator, and acid concentrator.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Acetone Recovery Worker, Acetylene Plant Operator, Acid Bleacher, Acid Cleaner, Acid Concentrator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.00 | $22.10 | $27.90 | $35.62 | $44.35 | $29.19 | 139,630 |
| Annual | $37,440 | $45,970 | $58,040 | $74,080 | $92,250 | $60,710 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where chemical equipment operators and tenders earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $23.30 | $33.30 | $48.84 | $48.84 | $48.84 | $40.61 | 290 | 1.04 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $48,470 | $69,260 | $101,590 | $101,590 | $101,590 | $84,480 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $18.48 | $23.35 | $38.62 | $40.74 | $45.25 | $33.77 | 3,280 | 1.55 | 1.73 |
| Annual | $38,430 | $48,580 | $80,330 | $84,740 | $94,120 | $70,250 | ||||
| Montana | Hourly | $23.47 | $25.64 | $38.25 | $42.76 | $51.70 | $37.30 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| Annual | $48,820 | $53,320 | $79,570 | $88,940 | $107,540 | $77,590 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $22.83 | $28.44 | $37.78 | $48.94 | $53.46 | $38.35 | 6,430 | 3.32 | 3.70 |
| Annual | $47,480 | $59,160 | $78,580 | $101,800 | $111,210 | $79,770 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $22.16 | $27.76 | $37.07 | $37.07 | $40.83 | $32.89 | 550 | 0.65 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $46,100 | $57,740 | $77,100 | $77,110 | $84,930 | $68,400 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.42 | $20.21 | $28.92 | $47.53 | $51.07 | $33.16 | 20,880 | 1.48 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $36,230 | $42,030 | $60,150 | $98,860 | $106,230 | $68,970 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $17.30 | $22.51 | $27.17 | $32.72 | $38.36 | $28.21 | 8,560 | 2.00 | 2.23 |
| Annual | $35,980 | $46,830 | $56,500 | $68,050 | $79,780 | $58,670 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $21.85 | $23.76 | $29.11 | $35.74 | $39.35 | $30.34 | 7,830 | 1.41 | 1.57 |
| Annual | $45,450 | $49,410 | $60,550 | $74,340 | $81,840 | $63,120 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $22.83 | $28.44 | $37.78 | $48.94 | $53.46 | $38.35 | 6,430 | 3.32 | 3.70 |
| Annual | $47,480 | $59,160 | $78,580 | $101,800 | $111,210 | $79,770 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $18.11 | $21.55 | $27.31 | $30.52 | $36.32 | $26.93 | 6,240 | 1.95 | 2.17 |
| Annual | $37,680 | $44,830 | $56,800 | $63,490 | $75,550 | $56,010 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | Hourly | $19.25 | $27.33 | $46.53 | $49.40 | $53.41 | $39.81 | 1,540 | 9.41 | 10.48 |
| Annual | $40,030 | $56,850 | $96,790 | $102,750 | $111,100 | $82,810 | ||||
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | Hourly | $24.02 | $29.69 | $45.41 | $47.90 | $49.60 | $39.95 | 1,330 | 3.00 | 3.34 |
| Annual | $49,950 | $61,740 | $94,450 | $99,630 | $103,170 | $83,100 | ||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $24.45 | $33.07 | $45.16 | $51.69 | $54.28 | $42.96 | 2,500 | 6.11 | 6.81 |
| Annual | $50,850 | $68,780 | $93,920 | $107,520 | $112,900 | $89,350 | ||||
| Corpus Christi, TX | Hourly | $21.25 | $27.37 | $44.02 | $45.15 | $48.15 | $37.51 | 450 | 2.33 | 2.59 |
| Annual | $44,190 | $56,920 | $91,560 | $93,910 | $100,150 | $78,020 | ||||
| Mobile, AL | Hourly | $22.06 | $36.79 | $40.74 | $46.37 | $46.37 | $38.82 | 700 | 4.04 | 4.49 |
| Annual | $45,870 | $76,520 | $84,740 | $96,440 | $96,440 | $80,750 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.61 | $23.49 | $38.19 | $49.24 | $51.07 | $36.73 | 9,390 | 2.85 | 3.18 |
| Annual | $36,630 | $48,860 | $79,430 | $102,410 | $106,230 | $76,400 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.30 | $22.17 | $26.34 | $31.99 | $38.11 | $27.61 | 8,060 | 0.85 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $35,980 | $46,120 | $54,790 | $66,530 | $79,260 | $57,420 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.85 | $22.57 | $29.45 | $38.17 | $42.82 | $30.02 | 4,510 | 1.00 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $39,210 | $46,940 | $61,250 | $79,390 | $89,060 | $62,440 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $21.23 | $22.68 | $29.04 | $36.37 | $40.87 | $29.85 | 4,110 | 1.42 | 1.58 |
| Annual | $44,150 | $47,170 | $60,410 | $75,650 | $85,010 | $62,100 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $17.05 | $18.00 | $22.71 | $29.63 | $46.35 | $26.00 | 3,640 | 0.90 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $35,450 | $37,440 | $47,230 | $61,620 | $96,400 | $54,070 | ||||
Top industries employing chemical equipment operators and tenders
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) employ 51.5% of chemical equipment operators and tenders nationally (71,950 jobs) at a median $61,600 a year ($29.62 an hour), followed by Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (23.3%) and Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) (14.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) NAICS 3250A1 | 71,950 | 51.5% | $61,600 | $29.62 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing NAICS 325400 | 32,560 | 23.3% | $49,820 | $23.95 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) NAICS 3250A2 | 19,830 | 14.2% | $48,550 | $23.34 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 2,530 | 1.8% | $41,960 | $20.17 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing NAICS 324100 | 2,060 | 1.5% | $98,320 | $47.27 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (139,630). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,090 for chemical equipment operators and tenders in May 2021 and $58,040 in May 2025, with employment of 106,170 and 139,630.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,090 | $23.12 | 106,170 |
| May 2022 | $49,330 | $23.72 | 115,370 |
| May 2023 | $51,720 | $24.86 | 120,260 |
| May 2024 | $57,090 | $27.45 | 127,410 |
| May 2025 | $58,040 | $27.90 | 139,630 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
47 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming profile | $48.84 | $101,590 | $48,470 | $101,590 | 290 | 1.04 | 1.16 |
| 2 | Alabama profile | $38.62 | $80,330 | $38,430 | $94,120 | 3,280 | 1.55 | 1.73 |
| 3 | Montana profile | $38.25 | $79,570 | $48,820 | $107,540 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.08 |
| 4 | Louisiana profile | $37.78 | $78,580 | $47,480 | $111,210 | 6,430 | 3.32 | 3.70 |
| 5 | Idaho profile | $37.07 | $77,100 | $46,100 | $84,930 | 550 | 0.65 | 0.72 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $33.48 | $69,630 | $37,200 | $100,240 | 430 | 0.86 | 0.96 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $32.36 | $67,300 | $46,420 | $97,130 | 1,720 | 0.48 | 0.54 |
| 8 | West Virginia profile | $31.76 | $66,060 | $44,000 | $93,130 | 1,190 | 1.69 | 1.89 |
| 9 | Arkansas profile | $30.98 | $64,440 | $41,800 | $87,560 | 1,160 | 0.89 | 0.99 |
| 10 | Mississippi profile | $30.94 | $64,360 | $26,240 | $85,520 | 990 | 0.85 | 0.94 |
| 11 | Delaware profile | $30.39 | $63,200 | $50,460 | $82,100 | 1,160 | 2.39 | 2.66 |
| 12 | Illinois profile | $29.78 | $61,940 | $39,210 | $91,600 | 5,580 | 0.92 | 1.02 |
| 13 | Tennessee profile | $29.31 | $60,960 | $36,010 | $74,310 | 3,860 | 1.18 | 1.31 |
| 14 | New Mexico profile | $29.28 | $60,910 | $35,360 | $105,800 | 170 | 0.20 | 0.22 |
| 15 | Ohio profile | $29.11 | $60,550 | $45,450 | $81,840 | 7,830 | 1.41 | 1.57 |
| 16 | Texas profile | $28.92 | $60,150 | $36,230 | $106,230 | 20,880 | 1.48 | 1.65 |
| 17 | Virginia profile | $28.83 | $59,970 | $41,990 | $76,910 | 2,040 | 0.50 | 0.55 |
| 18 | Maryland profile | $28.78 | $59,850 | $39,650 | $78,770 | 1,220 | 0.44 | 0.49 |
| 19 | Nebraska profile | $28.73 | $59,750 | $41,630 | $76,650 | 1,020 | 1.00 | 1.11 |
| 20 | Nevada profile | $28.14 | $58,520 | $44,840 | $77,290 | 210 | 0.13 | 0.15 |
| 21 | Connecticut profile | $28.12 | $58,490 | $36,920 | $77,830 | 860 | 0.51 | 0.57 |
| 22 | California profile | $28.03 | $58,300 | $42,160 | $80,620 | 5,670 | 0.31 | 0.35 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $27.67 | $57,550 | $46,330 | $82,120 | 2,010 | 1.29 | 1.43 |
| 24 | Kentucky profile | $27.66 | $57,530 | $39,470 | $91,430 | 3,590 | 1.80 | 2.00 |
| 25 | Maine profile | $27.52 | $57,240 | $41,450 | $67,780 | 250 | 0.39 | 0.44 |
| 26 | Massachusetts profile | $27.37 | $56,920 | $41,560 | $77,700 | 2,860 | 0.79 | 0.88 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $27.31 | $56,800 | $37,680 | $75,550 | 6,240 | 1.95 | 2.17 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.22 | $56,630 | $38,710 | $81,840 | 6,230 | 1.03 | 1.14 |
| 29 | Oregon profile | $27.17 | $56,510 | $43,460 | $81,190 | 950 | 0.48 | 0.54 |
| 30 | New Jersey profile | $27.17 | $56,500 | $35,980 | $79,780 | 8,560 | 2.00 | 2.23 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $27.04 | $56,240 | $37,700 | $72,590 | 4,040 | 1.75 | 1.95 |
| 32 | Kansas profile | $26.39 | $54,890 | $35,800 | $76,260 | 1,920 | 1.34 | 1.49 |
| 33 | Minnesota profile | $25.64 | $53,340 | $40,210 | $74,290 | 1,170 | 0.40 | 0.44 |
| 34 | Wisconsin profile | $24.46 | $50,870 | $41,390 | $65,650 | 2,730 | 0.93 | 1.03 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $24.35 | $50,640 | $36,370 | $76,120 | 2,790 | 0.95 | 1.06 |
| 36 | Colorado profile | $24.22 | $50,370 | $42,630 | $73,620 | 910 | 0.32 | 0.35 |
| 37 | Oklahoma profile | $24.12 | $50,160 | $37,340 | $81,820 | 790 | 0.46 | 0.52 |
| 38 | Michigan profile | $24.07 | $50,060 | $38,430 | $80,470 | 5,210 | 1.18 | 1.32 |
| 39 | Georgia profile | $23.87 | $49,660 | $35,700 | $71,000 | 4,330 | 0.89 | 0.99 |
| 40 | North Carolina profile | $23.87 | $49,650 | $38,500 | $72,220 | 5,260 | 1.07 | 1.19 |
| 41 | New York profile | $23.87 | $49,640 | $38,280 | $78,350 | 4,270 | 0.44 | 0.49 |
| 42 | New Hampshire profile | $23.77 | $49,440 | $49,440 | $58,880 | 350 | 0.51 | 0.57 |
| 43 | South Dakota profile | $23.48 | $48,830 | $46,400 | $58,320 | 230 | 0.50 | 0.55 |
| 44 | Hawaii profile | $23.00 | $47,840 | $39,000 | $58,080 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.06 |
| 45 | Arizona profile | $22.01 | $45,790 | $34,840 | $75,300 | 1,330 | 0.41 | 0.46 |
| 46 | Florida profile | $21.33 | $44,360 | $30,250 | $69,720 | 4,270 | 0.43 | 0.48 |
| 47 | Utah profile | $18.76 | $39,020 | $34,770 | $62,300 | 2,610 | 1.51 | 1.68 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-9010), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9011 Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.