Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary in New York, NY-NJ

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ

Median annual salary $87,820 +19.4% vs national
Median hourly $42.22
10th percentile $61,510
90th percentile $93,230
National median $73,540

Compare Chemical Plant and System Operators salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how New York, NY-NJ stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Chemical Plant and System Operators
in
New York, NY-NJ
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $61,510
    25th
    $80,960
    50th (median)
    $87,820
    75th
    $92,400
    90th
    $93,230

    New York economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.50% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $97,334 2023 • Census ACS
    Chemical Plant and System Operators salary vs area income 90% Median Chemical Plant and System Operators salary is 10% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Chemical Plant and System Operators

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $117,430
    North Dakota $112,970
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $108,370
    Wyoming $104,420
    Lake Charles, LA $102,310
    Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $101,150

    Nearby metros — Chemical Plant and System Operators salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $81,730
    Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $53,380

    Related occupations in New York, NY-NJ

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$39,520
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$79,560
    Bakers$39,200
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$49,620
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$38,810
    Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,320

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Chemical Plant and System Operators make per hour in New York?

    The median hourly wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in New York, NY-NJ is $42.22, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $45.86 or more per hour.

    Is New York above or below average for Chemical Plant and System Operators salaries?

    The median Chemical Plant and System Operators salary in New York, NY-NJ is 19.4% above the national median of $73,540. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Chemical Plant and System Operators in New York?

    Entry-level Chemical Plant and System Operators (10th percentile) earn around $61,510 per year in New York, NY-NJ. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $80,960.