Plant and System Operators, All Other
Plant and System Operators, All Other (SOC 51-8099) earn a median $62,470 a year ($30.03 an hour) in the United States, with 14,080 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Massachusetts.
What plant and system operators, all other do
This residual category holds plant and system operators whose duties do not match the specific occupations for reactors, power plants, water treatment, chemical plants, gas plants, or petroleum systems. O*NET titles filed under it include asphalt plant operator, batch plant operator, and bulk plant operator, suggesting facilities that process, store, or distribute materials. The SOC definition adds no description beyond the catch-all label, so no common set of core tasks is attached to the code. The category is defined by exclusion, so the actual tasks vary by employer, and no single set of core duties applies. A job that matches one of the named plant and system operator occupations belongs in that code instead, and this one applies only when none fits.
Also called: Asphalt Plant Operator, Batch and Furnace Operator, Batch Plant Operator, Batcher Operator, Bulk Plant Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $19.57 | $23.51 | $30.03 | $37.73 | $45.46 | $31.59 | 14,080 |
| Annual | $40,700 | $48,900 | $62,470 | $78,480 | $94,560 | $65,700 | ||
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 plant and system operators, all other 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 | ||||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $42.76 | $46.58 | $58.01 | $58.28 | $62.50 | $54.47 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| Annual | $88,940 | $96,890 | $120,660 | $121,220 | $129,990 | $113,290 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $34.48 | $38.68 | $42.66 | $45.94 | $50.81 | $42.42 | 190 | 0.05 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $71,720 | $80,460 | $88,730 | $95,560 | $105,680 | $88,240 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $36.78 | $37.57 | $42.45 | $46.24 | $51.59 | $42.69 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $76,500 | $78,150 | $88,290 | $96,170 | $107,310 | $88,800 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $26.01 | $36.45 | $39.37 | $42.34 | $45.01 | $38.89 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $54,100 | $75,820 | $81,890 | $88,070 | $93,620 | $80,880 | ||||
| Montana | Hourly | $29.17 | $32.31 | $39.11 | $40.22 | $43.19 | $37.07 | 170 | 0.34 | 3.70 |
| Annual | $60,670 | $67,210 | $81,340 | $83,660 | $89,840 | $77,100 | ||||
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 | $17.49 | $20.88 | $24.43 | $31.17 | $40.63 | $27.61 | 3,570 | 0.25 | 2.80 |
| Annual | $36,380 | $43,430 | $50,820 | $64,830 | $84,500 | $57,420 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $23.66 | $30.60 | $37.51 | $45.91 | $54.26 | $38.57 | 1,560 | 0.09 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $49,200 | $63,650 | $78,020 | $95,500 | $112,860 | $80,220 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $19.68 | $22.72 | $24.81 | $32.77 | $38.96 | $27.81 | 1,050 | 0.36 | 4.02 |
| Annual | $40,930 | $47,260 | $51,600 | $68,160 | $81,040 | $57,840 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $20.36 | $23.39 | $24.44 | $32.29 | $38.15 | $28.50 | 620 | 0.10 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $42,350 | $48,640 | $50,840 | $67,170 | $79,350 | $59,280 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.69 | $22.00 | $24.47 | $30.79 | $37.90 | $26.90 | 590 | 0.06 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $38,880 | $45,760 | $50,910 | $64,040 | $78,830 | $55,950 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $30.76 | $37.38 | $45.40 | $52.46 | $64.83 | $46.11 | 90 | 0.09 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $63,970 | $77,750 | $94,420 | $109,130 | $134,850 | $95,910 | ||||
| Reno, NV | Hourly | $26.02 | $28.23 | $44.65 | $52.23 | $67.71 | $42.18 | 40 | 0.15 | 1.70 |
| Annual | $54,130 | $58,710 | $92,870 | $108,640 | $140,840 | $87,730 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $29.92 | $29.92 | $43.90 | $48.60 | $56.86 | $42.46 | 230 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $62,220 | $62,220 | $91,310 | $101,090 | $118,260 | $88,310 | ||||
| Duluth, MN-WI | Hourly | $42.38 | $42.38 | $42.45 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $44.01 | 40 | 0.29 | 3.16 |
| Annual | $88,150 | $88,150 | $88,290 | $95,660 | $95,660 | $91,550 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $27.79 | $35.82 | $41.15 | $47.64 | $63.90 | $42.89 | 30 | 0.03 | 0.32 |
| Annual | $57,790 | $74,500 | $85,590 | $99,100 | $132,910 | $89,220 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.14 | $19.95 | $24.38 | $31.74 | $45.54 | $28.57 | 1,010 | 0.25 | 2.75 |
| Annual | $37,730 | $41,500 | $50,720 | $66,020 | $94,720 | $59,430 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.90 | $22.35 | $25.58 | $35.68 | $45.27 | $28.75 | 780 | 0.24 | 2.63 |
| Annual | $37,230 | $46,490 | $53,200 | $74,210 | $94,160 | $59,800 | ||||
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | Hourly | $21.58 | $22.90 | $23.34 | $28.91 | $36.94 | $26.82 | 480 | 0.30 | 3.31 |
| Annual | $44,890 | $47,620 | $48,550 | $60,130 | $76,840 | $55,780 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $22.80 | $29.13 | $37.08 | $43.64 | $55.27 | $37.80 | 400 | 0.06 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $47,420 | $60,590 | $77,130 | $90,770 | $114,960 | $78,610 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $32.15 | $35.94 | $40.27 | $42.34 | $45.01 | $39.08 | 380 | 0.12 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $66,870 | $74,760 | $83,760 | $88,070 | $93,620 | $81,290 | ||||
Top industries employing plant and system operators, all other
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing employ 17.0% of plant and system operators, all other nationally (2,390 jobs) at a median $58,820 a year ($28.28 an hour), followed by Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) (13.6%) and Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (11.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing NAICS 327000 | 2,390 | 17.0% | $58,820 | $28.28 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 1,920 | 13.6% | $77,310 | $37.17 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing NAICS 324100 | 1,650 | 11.7% | $61,430 | $29.53 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying NAICS 212300 | 1,030 | 7.3% | $57,140 | $27.47 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction NAICS 237300 | 770 | 5.5% | $54,210 | $26.06 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (14,080). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $50,250 for plant and system operators, all other in May 2021 and $62,470 in May 2025, with employment of 15,420 and 14,080.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $50,250 | $24.16 | 15,420 |
| May 2022 | $57,470 | $27.63 | 15,370 |
| May 2023 | $56,940 | $27.37 | 15,370 |
| May 2024 | $61,710 | $29.67 | 15,950 |
| May 2025 | $62,470 | $30.03 | 14,080 |
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
44 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 | Massachusetts profile | $58.01 | $120,660 | $88,940 | $129,990 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.13 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $42.66 | $88,730 | $71,720 | $105,680 | 190 | 0.05 | 0.60 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $42.45 | $88,290 | $76,500 | $107,310 | 200 | 0.07 | 0.74 |
| 4 | Maryland profile | $39.37 | $81,890 | $54,100 | $93,620 | 270 | 0.10 | 1.08 |
| 5 | Montana profile | $39.11 | $81,340 | $60,670 | $89,840 | 170 | 0.34 | 3.70 |
| 6 | Nevada profile | $38.46 | $80,000 | $51,720 | $137,130 | 150 | 0.10 | 1.09 |
| 7 | California profile | $37.51 | $78,020 | $49,200 | $112,860 | 1,560 | 0.09 | 0.94 |
| 8 | Illinois profile | $37.39 | $77,780 | $55,080 | $84,320 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 9 | Iowa profile | $36.44 | $75,800 | $59,510 | $104,880 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.34 |
| 10 | New York profile | $35.92 | $74,700 | $51,500 | $90,770 | 310 | 0.03 | 0.35 |
| 11 | Oklahoma profile | $35.69 | $74,240 | $47,950 | $101,530 | 80 | 0.05 | 0.55 |
| 12 | Kansas profile | $35.67 | $74,190 | $62,330 | $81,660 | 60 | 0.04 | 0.46 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $34.57 | $71,900 | $46,910 | $96,140 | 140 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
| 14 | West Virginia profile | $33.97 | $70,660 | $50,950 | $76,940 | 120 | 0.18 | 1.95 |
| 15 | Indiana profile | $33.89 | $70,490 | $51,000 | $79,540 | 280 | 0.09 | 0.96 |
| 16 | New Jersey profile | $33.64 | $69,970 | $45,860 | $95,750 | 290 | 0.07 | 0.74 |
| 17 | Kentucky profile | $33.38 | $69,430 | $58,450 | $96,930 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| 18 | Arizona profile | $33.30 | $69,260 | $49,160 | $88,400 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.50 |
| 19 | Connecticut profile | $33.15 | $68,950 | $51,500 | $86,810 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.65 |
| 20 | Utah profile | $32.65 | $67,910 | $54,430 | $91,030 | 180 | 0.10 | 1.12 |
| 21 | Wyoming profile | $32.10 | $66,770 | $41,370 | $118,160 | 90 | 0.31 | 3.40 |
| 22 | Mississippi profile | $31.29 | $65,080 | $51,440 | $93,840 | 140 | 0.12 | 1.35 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $31.10 | $64,690 | $55,330 | $108,760 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.62 |
| 24 | Ohio profile | $30.84 | $64,140 | $46,470 | $79,200 | 340 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| 25 | New Hampshire profile | $30.78 | $64,030 | $63,160 | $78,580 | 120 | 0.18 | 1.97 |
| 26 | Wisconsin profile | $30.19 | $62,800 | $49,750 | $78,210 | 160 | 0.05 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $30.11 | $62,630 | $39,860 | $110,590 | 350 | 0.18 | 2.02 |
| 28 | Maine profile | $29.94 | $62,270 | $40,560 | $75,520 | 110 | 0.16 | 1.81 |
| 29 | Virginia profile | $29.78 | $61,940 | $50,990 | $92,410 | 180 | 0.04 | 0.48 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $29.66 | $61,690 | $60,000 | $83,250 | 40 | 0.05 | 0.54 |
| 31 | North Carolina profile | $29.42 | $61,190 | $47,840 | $79,930 | 220 | 0.04 | 0.48 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | $28.96 | $60,240 | $48,050 | $96,300 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.51 |
| 33 | South Dakota profile | $27.61 | $57,430 | $43,700 | $73,720 | 190 | 0.41 | 4.48 |
| 34 | South Carolina profile | $26.95 | $56,060 | $44,350 | $76,420 | 150 | 0.06 | 0.71 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | $26.78 | $55,710 | $39,580 | $100,610 | 120 | 0.14 | 1.50 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $24.85 | $51,690 | $32,910 | $97,070 | 30 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| 37 | Colorado profile | $24.81 | $51,600 | $40,930 | $81,040 | 1,050 | 0.36 | 4.02 |
| 38 | Missouri profile | $24.79 | $51,560 | $37,750 | $70,630 | 380 | 0.13 | 1.44 |
| 39 | Florida profile | $24.47 | $50,910 | $38,880 | $78,830 | 590 | 0.06 | 0.66 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania profile | $24.44 | $50,840 | $42,350 | $79,350 | 620 | 0.10 | 1.13 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $24.43 | $50,820 | $36,380 | $84,500 | 3,570 | 0.25 | 2.80 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $23.18 | $48,220 | $47,820 | $69,780 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.70 |
| 43 | Arkansas profile | $22.13 | $46,020 | $38,910 | $70,640 | 120 | 0.09 | 1.04 |
| 44 | Georgia profile | $21.48 | $44,670 | $37,670 | $67,680 | 240 | 0.05 | 0.54 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-8090), 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 51-8099 Plant and System Operators, All Other.
- 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 51-8099, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-8099.00, 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.