196 metro areas
Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender Salary by City (2026)
Chemical equipment operators and tenders earn the most in Baton Rouge, LA, an average of $89,360 a year, against $60,710 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Baton Rouge, LA ($98,440 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $60,710BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $89,360Baton Rouge, LA
- Best after cost of living
- $98,440Baton Rouge, LA
- Metro areas
- 196With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for chemical equipment operators and tenders
Top 10 metro areas
- Baton Rouge, LA$89,360
- Decatur, AL$83,720
- New Orleans, LA$83,100
- Beaumont, TX$82,800
- Mobile, AL$80,750
- Corpus Christi, TX$78,020
- Parkersburg, WV$76,710
- Houston, TX$76,400
- Lake Charles, LA$76,210
- Charleston, WV$75,920
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $89,360 |
| Decatur, AL | $83,720 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $83,100 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $82,800 |
| Mobile, AL | $80,750 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $78,020 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $76,710 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $76,400 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $76,210 |
| Charleston, WV | $75,920 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Baton Rouge, LA$89,360 nominal$98,440
- Decatur, AL$83,720 nominal$96,000
- Beaumont, TX$82,800 nominal$91,950
- Mobile, AL$80,750 nominal$91,660
- New Orleans, LA$83,100 nominal$89,740
- Lake Charles, LA$76,210 nominal$88,770
- Parkersburg, WV$76,710 nominal$88,110
- Charleston, WV$75,920 nominal$85,580
- Corpus Christi, TX$78,020 nominal$84,190
- Gulfport, MS$73,690 nominal$81,870
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $98,440 |
| Decatur, AL | $96,000 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $91,950 |
| Mobile, AL | $91,660 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $89,740 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $88,770 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $88,110 |
| Charleston, WV | $85,580 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $84,190 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $81,870 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baton Rouge, LA | $89,360 | $59,550 | $104,040 | $98,440 |
| 2 | Decatur, AL | $83,720 | $74,960 | $88,050 | $96,000 |
| 3 | New Orleans, LA | $83,100 | $55,580 | $96,660 | $89,740 |
| 4 | Beaumont, TX | $82,800 | $48,090 | $99,900 | $91,950 |
| 5 | Mobile, AL | $80,750 | $59,950 | $91,000 | $91,660 |
| 6 | Corpus Christi, TX | $78,020 | $48,880 | $92,370 | $84,190 |
| 7 | Parkersburg, WV | $76,710 | $62,230 | $83,840 | $88,110 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $76,400 | $42,390 | $93,140 | $77,460 |
| 9 | Lake Charles, LA | $76,210 | $51,020 | $88,630 | $88,770 |
| 10 | Charleston, WV | $75,920 | $53,600 | $86,900 | $85,580 |
| 11 | Gulfport, MS | $73,690 | $54,750 | $83,030 | $81,870 |
| 12 | Montgomery, AL | $72,820 | $48,110 | $84,970 | $81,200 |
| 13 | Albany, OR | $71,640 | $51,900 | $81,370 | $70,170 |
| 14 | Longview, WA | $71,050 | $54,120 | $79,390 | $72,840 |
| 15 | San Francisco, CA | $70,990 | $52,940 | $79,890 | $61,400 |
| 16 | Kennewick, WA | $70,930 | $48,590 | $81,930 | $70,870 |
| 17 | Spokane, WA | $70,430 | $57,890 | $76,610 | $70,190 |
| 18 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $69,390 | $53,500 | $77,210 | $63,730 |
| 19 | San Jose, CA | $68,660 | $51,900 | $76,920 | $62,180 |
| 20 | Providence, RI-MA | $68,080 | $41,770 | $81,060 | $66,890 |
| 21 | Seattle, WA | $67,120 | $50,710 | $75,210 | $60,400 |
| 22 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $66,350 | $45,090 | $76,810 | $71,290 |
| 23 | Norwich, CT | $66,310 | $50,170 | $74,260 | $66,020 |
| 24 | Cleveland, OH | $65,620 | $50,360 | $73,150 | $69,870 |
| 25 | Peoria, IL | $65,420 | $53,060 | $71,510 | $71,710 |
| 26 | Victoria, TX | $65,400 | $39,750 | $78,020 | $72,800 |
| 27 | Bowling Green, KY | $65,150 | $44,120 | $75,500 | $72,250 |
| 28 | Hattiesburg, MS | $64,940 | $46,200 | $74,170 | $74,100 |
| 29 | Evansville, IN | $64,130 | $42,950 | $74,570 | $70,070 |
| 30 | Eugene, OR | $64,000 | $44,700 | $73,510 | $63,010 |
| 31 | Vallejo, CA | $63,230 | $47,320 | $71,050 | $58,290 |
| 32 | Albany, NY | $62,920 | $44,370 | $72,050 | $63,190 |
| 33 | Bridgeport, CT | $62,820 | $43,660 | $72,260 | $58,780 |
| 34 | Richmond, VA | $62,590 | $49,170 | $69,200 | $63,960 |
| 35 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $62,570 | $46,180 | $70,660 | $65,610 |
| 36 | Chicago, IL-IN | $62,440 | $43,140 | $71,950 | $60,270 |
| 37 | Elizabethtown, KY | $62,360 | $45,340 | $70,740 | $68,850 |
| 38 | San Diego, CA | $62,250 | $45,910 | $70,320 | $55,640 |
| 39 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $62,090 | $44,510 | $70,760 | $60,540 |
| 40 | Columbus, OH | $61,780 | $47,150 | $68,970 | $64,710 |
| 41 | Midland, TX | $61,710 | $35,530 | $74,590 | $64,430 |
| 42 | Huntington, WV-KY-OH | $61,400 | $40,810 | $71,550 | $69,440 |
| 43 | Brunswick, GA | $61,130 | $38,580 | $72,260 | $69,700 |
| 44 | Tulsa, OK | $60,940 | $44,010 | $69,280 | $68,310 |
| 45 | Toledo, OH | $60,920 | $49,030 | $66,790 | $66,610 |
| 46 | Springfield, MA | $60,880 | $43,350 | $69,510 | $63,380 |
| 47 | Raleigh, NC | $60,840 | $46,860 | $67,720 | $61,980 |
| 48 | Joplin, MO-KS | $60,820 | $43,910 | $69,140 | $70,950 |
| 49 | Santa Maria, CA | $60,720 | $45,760 | $68,080 | $55,810 |
| 50 | Dayton, OH | $60,690 | $47,260 | $67,290 | $65,470 |
| 51 | Modesto, CA | $60,470 | $42,270 | $69,430 | $58,080 |
| 52 | San Luis Obispo, CA | $60,380 | $45,910 | $67,520 | $55,600 |
| 53 | Boise City, ID | $60,110 | $42,290 | $68,910 | $61,090 |
| 54 | Durham, NC | $59,970 | $46,180 | $66,750 | $61,460 |
| 55 | Sheboygan, WI | $59,630 | $47,840 | $65,460 | $63,430 |
| 56 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $59,630 | $35,240 | $71,660 | $70,980 |
| 57 | Ames, IA | $59,590 | $49,750 | $64,440 | $67,080 |
| 58 | Des Moines, IA | $59,570 | $48,320 | $65,100 | $64,960 |
| 59 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $59,380 | $41,970 | $67,950 | $59,400 |
| 60 | Augusta, GA-SC | $59,200 | $43,010 | $67,160 | $64,420 |
| 61 | New Haven, CT | $59,110 | $44,140 | $66,500 | $56,530 |
| 62 | Boston, MA-NH | $58,780 | $44,820 | $65,670 | $54,290 |
| 63 | Omaha, NE-IA | $58,680 | $42,020 | $66,890 | $63,840 |
| 64 | Spartanburg, SC | $58,660 | $46,220 | $64,770 | $64,430 |
| 65 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $58,590 | $43,280 | $66,140 | $63,310 |
| 66 | Lancaster, PA | $58,570 | $42,350 | $66,580 | $59,610 |
| 67 | Las Vegas, NV | $58,550 | $43,910 | $65,750 | $58,420 |
| 68 | Kenosha, WI | $58,490 | $49,320 | $63,000 | $57,840 |
| 69 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $58,360 | $40,370 | $67,230 | $64,170 |
| 70 | Columbia, SC | $58,090 | $44,180 | $64,960 | $62,020 |
| 71 | Akron, OH | $57,970 | $44,240 | $64,730 | $62,090 |
| 72 | New York, NY-NJ | $57,430 | $40,290 | $65,870 | $51,020 |
| 73 | Pittsburgh, PA | $57,430 | $40,640 | $65,710 | $60,660 |
| 74 | Greenville, SC | $57,300 | $43,280 | $64,210 | $61,440 |
| 75 | Savannah, GA | $57,220 | $44,700 | $63,380 | $60,100 |
| 76 | Shreveport, LA | $57,140 | $43,930 | $63,650 | $67,410 |
| 77 | Los Angeles, CA | $57,120 | $42,720 | $64,190 | $50,300 |
| 78 | Baltimore, MD | $57,080 | $42,950 | $64,040 | $54,630 |
| 79 | Bend, OR | $57,050 | $46,240 | $62,380 | $55,060 |
| 80 | Kalamazoo, MI | $57,030 | $47,590 | $61,690 | $60,130 |
| 81 | Buffalo, NY | $57,010 | $40,710 | $65,040 | $59,480 |
| 82 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,010 | $43,100 | $63,880 | $59,570 |
| 83 | Waterbury, CT | $56,990 | $38,540 | $66,080 | $57,120 |
| 84 | Santa Rosa, CA | $56,910 | $40,270 | $65,100 | $52,800 |
| 85 | Glens Falls, NY | $56,830 | $40,440 | $64,900 | $59,910 |
| 86 | Michigan City, IN | $56,830 | $41,770 | $64,230 | $61,990 |
| 87 | Syracuse, NY | $56,830 | $41,080 | $64,580 | $59,360 |
| 88 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $56,780 | $43,950 | $63,110 | $54,170 |
| 89 | Portland, ME | $56,780 | $44,450 | $62,840 | $55,740 |
| 90 | Lubbock, TX | $56,680 | $38,770 | $65,480 | $62,070 |
| 91 | Charleston, SC | $56,660 | $40,440 | $64,650 | $56,120 |
| 92 | Tyler, TX | $56,530 | $32,320 | $68,450 | $61,340 |
| 93 | Sacramento, CA | $56,260 | $41,810 | $63,400 | $52,740 |
| 94 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $56,160 | $43,950 | $62,170 | $57,690 |
| 95 | Portland, OR-WA | $56,100 | $45,010 | $61,550 | $53,220 |
| 96 | Detroit, MI | $55,950 | $40,310 | $63,650 | $55,780 |
| 97 | Bakersfield, CA | $55,720 | $41,430 | $62,770 | $55,230 |
| 98 | Killeen, TX | $55,680 | $37,790 | $64,500 | $61,100 |
| 99 | Pensacola, FL | $55,680 | $38,440 | $64,170 | $56,980 |
| 100 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $55,580 | $40,250 | $63,130 | $58,450 |
| 101 | Riverside, CA | $55,470 | $41,480 | $62,380 | $52,110 |
| 102 | Oxnard, CA | $55,180 | $40,870 | $62,230 | $49,920 |
| 103 | Wilmington, NC | $55,100 | $45,930 | $59,610 | $57,140 |
| 104 | Appleton, WI | $55,020 | $46,430 | $59,260 | $59,530 |
| 105 | Gainesville, GA | $54,890 | $40,460 | $62,000 | $56,720 |
| 106 | Worcester, MA | $54,640 | $40,870 | $61,420 | $53,300 |
| 107 | Milwaukee, WI | $54,620 | $43,490 | $60,110 | $56,350 |
| 108 | Denver, CO | $54,600 | $43,660 | $59,990 | $51,620 |
| 109 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $54,390 | $43,310 | $59,860 | $49,710 |
| 110 | Jackson, MS | $54,370 | $33,650 | $64,560 | $61,060 |
| 111 | Madison, WI | $54,100 | $45,740 | $58,240 | $55,610 |
| 112 | Dallas, TX | $54,080 | $35,460 | $63,230 | $52,460 |
| 113 | Sandusky, OH | $54,000 | $38,810 | $61,480 | $60,480 |
| 114 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $53,870 | $45,490 | $57,990 | $62,360 |
| 115 | Ann Arbor, MI | $53,810 | $41,350 | $59,920 | $53,340 |
| 116 | Harrisburg, PA | $53,770 | $39,750 | $60,670 | $54,510 |
| 117 | Lafayette, LA | $53,560 | $28,810 | $65,750 | $61,420 |
| 118 | Green Bay, WI | $53,540 | $45,800 | $57,320 | $57,520 |
| 119 | Oshkosh, WI | $53,540 | $45,180 | $57,680 | $57,610 |
| 120 | Canton, OH | $53,520 | $40,250 | $60,070 | $59,860 |
| 121 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $53,480 | $33,470 | $63,320 | $58,020 |
| 122 | Trenton, NJ | $53,440 | $39,000 | $60,550 | $51,790 |
| 123 | Muskegon, MI | $53,370 | $41,720 | $59,110 | $57,690 |
| 124 | Greeley, CO | $53,350 | $42,790 | $58,570 | $53,260 |
| 125 | Salisbury, MD | $53,270 | $44,870 | $57,410 | $55,710 |
| 126 | Boulder, CO | $53,230 | $44,970 | $57,300 | $50,600 |
| 127 | Huntsville, AL | $53,230 | $39,290 | $60,090 | $57,190 |
| 128 | Manchester, NH | $52,750 | $46,180 | $55,970 | $49,930 |
| 129 | Fort Collins, CO | $52,710 | $43,330 | $57,350 | $52,120 |
| 130 | Reading, PA | $52,670 | $39,290 | $59,260 | $54,270 |
| 131 | Hartford, CT | $52,600 | $37,090 | $60,240 | $51,190 |
| 132 | Stockton, CA | $52,370 | $42,810 | $57,100 | $49,830 |
| 133 | Greensboro, NC | $52,230 | $41,680 | $57,410 | $56,240 |
| 134 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $52,060 | $44,990 | $55,560 | $57,440 |
| 135 | Visalia, CA | $52,040 | $40,290 | $57,840 | $52,130 |
| 136 | Paducah, KY-IL | $52,020 | $42,700 | $56,620 | $60,430 |
| 137 | Lynchburg, VA | $52,000 | $39,500 | $58,160 | $58,190 |
| 138 | Grand Rapids, MI | $51,940 | $40,500 | $57,570 | $54,360 |
| 139 | Lexington, KY | $51,880 | $41,890 | $56,780 | $55,850 |
| 140 | Nashville, TN | $51,850 | $37,730 | $58,800 | $53,820 |
| 141 | Springfield, MO | $51,790 | $38,690 | $58,240 | $58,460 |
| 142 | Duluth, MN-WI | $51,750 | $40,660 | $57,220 | $58,300 |
| 143 | Birmingham, AL | $51,650 | $33,450 | $60,610 | $56,360 |
| 144 | Winston, NC | $51,600 | $39,870 | $57,390 | $56,060 |
| 145 | Atlanta, GA | $51,460 | $38,040 | $58,050 | $51,430 |
| 146 | Fresno, CA | $51,400 | $39,480 | $57,260 | $50,310 |
| 147 | Wichita, KS | $51,290 | $37,210 | $58,240 | $57,660 |
| 148 | Roanoke, VA | $51,230 | $41,870 | $55,850 | $54,720 |
| 149 | Little Rock, AR | $51,190 | $37,610 | $57,890 | $57,280 |
| 150 | Rochester, NY | $51,040 | $39,420 | $56,760 | $52,600 |
| 151 | Salem, OR | $50,790 | $42,270 | $55,020 | $49,000 |
| 152 | Lincoln, NE | $50,690 | $41,290 | $55,310 | $55,350 |
| 153 | Sumter, SC | $50,480 | $43,510 | $53,890 | $57,350 |
| 154 | Terre Haute, IN | $50,480 | $38,190 | $56,530 | $57,500 |
| 155 | Phoenix, AZ | $50,250 | $36,670 | $56,950 | $48,640 |
| 156 | Morristown, TN | $50,110 | $45,280 | $52,500 | $58,020 |
| 157 | Fort Wayne, IN | $50,090 | $37,860 | $56,100 | $54,110 |
| 158 | Hammond, LA | $49,940 | $44,800 | $52,460 | $59,130 |
| 159 | Dalton, GA | $49,570 | $35,760 | $56,370 | $55,170 |
| 160 | York, PA | $49,570 | $36,340 | $56,100 | $51,640 |
| 161 | Albuquerque, NM | $49,520 | $34,720 | $56,830 | $51,830 |
| 162 | Wausau, WI | $49,340 | $39,230 | $54,310 | $53,250 |
| 163 | Elkhart, IN | $49,250 | $39,830 | $53,890 | $54,530 |
| 164 | Janesville, WI | $49,030 | $37,940 | $54,500 | $52,320 |
| 165 | Salt Lake City, UT | $48,840 | $36,210 | $55,060 | $48,420 |
| 166 | Athens, GA | $48,820 | $35,900 | $55,180 | $52,300 |
| 167 | Austin, TX | $48,800 | $37,940 | $54,140 | $49,760 |
| 168 | Valdosta, GA | $48,530 | $38,270 | $53,560 | $54,980 |
| 169 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $48,440 | $33,470 | $55,830 | $52,960 |
| 170 | Hickory, NC | $48,440 | $38,080 | $53,560 | $54,740 |
| 171 | Scranton, PA | $48,150 | $35,010 | $54,620 | $51,470 |
| 172 | Tucson, AZ | $48,010 | $36,940 | $53,440 | $49,550 |
| 173 | Warner Robins, GA | $47,670 | $34,530 | $54,140 | $50,830 |
| 174 | Rochester, MN | $47,630 | $40,160 | $51,310 | $52,440 |
| 175 | Knoxville, TN | $47,470 | $34,360 | $53,930 | $51,280 |
| 176 | Florence, SC | $47,300 | $35,820 | $52,960 | $54,510 |
| 177 | Oklahoma City, OK | $47,300 | $36,320 | $52,730 | $52,320 |
| 178 | Lansing, MI | $47,240 | $37,670 | $51,960 | $49,730 |
| 179 | South Bend, IN-MI | $46,950 | $34,170 | $53,230 | $50,560 |
| 180 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $46,740 | $33,990 | $53,000 | $54,420 |
| 181 | Ogden, UT | $46,300 | $35,210 | $51,750 | $46,140 |
| 182 | Tampa, FL | $46,220 | $32,070 | $53,190 | $45,810 |
| 183 | San Antonio, TX | $45,950 | $31,410 | $53,120 | $48,510 |
| 184 | Orlando, FL | $45,470 | $35,030 | $50,610 | $44,830 |
| 185 | Greenville, NC | $44,970 | $37,590 | $48,610 | $50,870 |
| 186 | Rome, GA | $44,490 | $36,670 | $48,340 | $49,350 |
| 187 | North Port, FL | $44,470 | $31,240 | $50,980 | $43,420 |
| 188 | Jacksonville, FL | $44,320 | $34,050 | $49,400 | $44,550 |
| 189 | Miami, FL | $42,830 | $32,430 | $47,920 | $37,520 |
| 190 | Niles, MI | $42,640 | $28,060 | $49,820 | $46,160 |
| 191 | Waco, TX | $41,970 | $31,760 | $47,010 | $45,350 |
| 192 | Manhattan, KS | $41,370 | $29,740 | $47,110 | $45,880 |
| 193 | Provo, UT | $41,180 | $34,010 | $44,720 | $41,920 |
| 194 | Deltona, FL | $41,120 | $32,760 | $45,240 | $41,380 |
| 195 | San Juan, PR | $38,250 | $26,640 | $43,970 | N/A |
| 196 | St. George, UT | $35,840 | $33,530 | $36,980 | $36,830 |
More
More on chemical equipment operators and tenders
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays chemical equipment operators and tenders the most?
Baton Rouge, LA, where the average (mean) wage is $89,360 a year, followed by Decatur, AL ($83,720), New Orleans, LA ($83,100), Beaumont, TX ($82,800). The national mean is $60,710 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do chemical equipment operators and tenders earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Baton Rouge, LA ($98,440 at national prices, $89,360 nominal), Decatur, AL ($96,000 at national prices, $83,720 nominal), Beaumont, TX ($91,950 at national prices, $82,800 nominal).
How much do chemical equipment operators and tenders make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $57,430; Los Angeles, CA: $57,120; Chicago, IL-IN: $62,440; Dallas, TX: $54,080; Houston, TX: $76,400 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do chemical equipment operators and tenders earn the least?
Of the 196 metro areas with their own estimate, St. George, UT has the lowest mean wage, $35,840. At local prices that is worth $36,830.