The median pay for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders is $58,040 a year ($27.90/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% through 2035, with about 13,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 51-9011
- Production
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender in four numbers
- Median pay
- $58,040a year, or $27.90/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $37KTop 10% $92K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +3.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+3.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +3.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 13,900140,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025140.8K
- Projected 2035145.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 140.8K Projected 2035 145.8K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Chemical Operator (Chemical Tech), Chemical Process Operator, Chemical Reactor Operator, Chlorination Operator, Multiskill Operator, Outside Operator.
Pay
How much do Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders make?
Every chemical equipment operator and tender in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$58,040
Middle half earn $45,970 to $74,080
- 10th
- $37,440
- 25th
- $45,970
- 75th
- $74,080
- 90th
- $92,250
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $37,440 |
| 25th | $45,970 |
| Median | $58,040 |
| 75th | $74,080 |
| 90th | $92,250 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $58,040
- Median hourly wage
- $27.90/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $60,710
- People employed
- 139,630
Versus all US occupations
At $58,040, Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders earn 14% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $7,060 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $48,030, this is 21% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $92,250 or more while the bottom 10% earn $37,440, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 29% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Wyoming pays the most at $101,590, and still leads at $109,601 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Wyoming | $101,590 | $109,601 | 290 |
| 2Alabama | $80,330 | $90,438 | 3,280 |
| 3Montana | $79,570 | $84,072 | 40 |
| 4Louisiana | $78,580 | $89,086 | 6,430 |
| 5Idaho | $77,100 | $80,738 | 550 |
| 6Rhode Island | $69,630 | $68,078 | 430 |
| 7Washington | $67,300 | $62,890 | 1,720 |
| 8West Virginia | $66,060 | $73,813 | 1,190 |
| 9Arkansas | $64,440 | $74,123 | 1,160 |
| 10Mississippi | $64,360 | $74,017 | 990 |
Job outlook
Is Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +3.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | +3.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 5,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 13,900 openings are projected each year, 9.9% of the 140,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender do?
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.
Day-to-day tasks
- Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.
- Open valves or start pumps, agitators, reactors, blowers, or automatic feed of materials.
- Notify maintenance engineers of equipment malfunctions.
- Drain equipment, and pump water or other solutions through to flush and clean tanks or equipment.
- Adjust controls to regulate temperature, pressure, feed, or flow of liquids or gases and times of prescribed reactions, according to knowledge of equipment and processes.
- Add treating or neutralizing agents to products, and pump products through filters or centrifuges to remove impurities or to precipitate products.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeOn their feet more than half the working day.
Bending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantLittle or no dealing with customers or the public.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.6
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Writing3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Speaking2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Mathematics2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Mathematics | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control3.9
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Time Management3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Troubleshooting2.9
- Quality Control Analysis2.9
- Coordination2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.9 |
| Coordination | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.6
- Conventional4.6
- Investigative3.2
- Enterprising1.3
- Social1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender
O*NET related occupations
- Production
- Production
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender
$51,610median a year
Most earn $36K to $80K
−5.7%High school - Production
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator
$60,020median a year
Most earn $39K to $91K
−5.7%High school - Production
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operator and Tender
$43,530median a year
Most earn $34K to $59K
+3.4%High school - Production
Heat Treating Equipment Setter, Operator, and Tender, Metal and Plastic
$48,750median a year
Most earn $35K to $66K
−9.5%High school - Production
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operator and Tender
$48,040median a year
Most earn $36K to $70K
+2.6%High school
More production careers
Median annual pay, with chemical equipment operators and tenders highlighted
- Power Plant Operator$102,040
- Tool and Die Maker$64,050
- Machinist$58,750
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender$58,040
- Welder$53,750
- Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$51,330
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator$50,690
- Butcher and Meat Cutter$40,140
- Baker$37,160
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 |
| Tool and Die Maker | $64,050 |
| Machinist | $58,750 |
| Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender | $58,040 |
| Welder | $53,750 |
| Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter | $51,330 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 |
| Baker | $37,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender appears on
Questions
Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender: frequently asked questions
How much do Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders make?
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders earn a median of $58,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 14% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.90/hr. The middle half earn between $45,970 and $74,080. The top 10% earn $92,250 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training.
Is Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 13,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender do?
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. A core O*NET task: monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Enterprise resource planning ERP software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders the most?
The highest state medians for Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders are Wyoming ($101,590), Alabama ($80,330), Montana ($79,570) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender?
O*NET scores Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.