Plant and System Operators, All Other salary in the U.S.
Plant and System Operators, All Other in the U.S. earn a median of $62,470 a year ($30.03 an hour), based on BLS data for 14,080 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,700 for the lowest-paid 10% to $94,560 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $65,700, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for plant and system operators, all other in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,700 | $19.57 |
| 25th percentile | $48,900 | $23.51 |
| Median | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| 75th percentile | $78,480 | $37.73 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $94,560 | $45.46 |
| Average (mean) | $65,700 | $31.59 |
Half of plant and system operators, all other earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,205.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,602.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,402.69 |
| Weekly | $1,201.35 |
| Hourly | $30.03 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Plant and System Operators, All Other salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $120,660 | 40 |
| Washington | $88,730 | 190 |
| Minnesota | $88,290 | 200 |
| Maryland | $81,890 | 270 |
| Montana | $81,340 | 170 |
| Nevada | $80,000 | 150 |
| California | $78,020 | 1,560 |
| Illinois | $77,780 | 230 |
| Iowa | $75,800 | 50 |
| New York | $74,700 | 310 |
| Oklahoma | $74,240 | 80 |
| Kansas | $74,190 | 60 |
| Oregon | $71,900 | 140 |
| West Virginia | $70,660 | 120 |
| Indiana | $70,490 | 280 |
| New Jersey | $69,970 | 290 |
| Kentucky | $69,430 | 30 |
| Arizona | $69,260 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $68,950 | 100 |
| Utah | $67,910 | 180 |
| Wyoming | $66,770 | 90 |
| Mississippi | $65,080 | 140 |
| Michigan | $64,690 | 250 |
| Ohio | $64,140 | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $64,030 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $62,800 | 160 |
| Louisiana | $62,630 | 350 |
| Maine | $62,270 | 110 |
| Virginia | $61,940 | 180 |
| Idaho | $61,690 | 40 |
| North Carolina | $61,190 | 220 |
| Tennessee | $60,240 | 150 |
| South Dakota | $57,430 | 190 |
| South Carolina | $56,060 | 150 |
| New Mexico | $55,710 | 120 |
| Alabama | $51,690 | 30 |
| Colorado | $51,600 | 1,050 |
| Missouri | $51,560 | 380 |
| Florida | $50,910 | 590 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,840 | 620 |
| Texas | $50,820 | 3,570 |
| Nebraska | $48,220 | 70 |
| Arkansas | $46,020 | 120 |
| Georgia | $44,670 | 240 |
| Puerto Rico | $38,850 | 70 |
Best-paying metro areas for plant and system operators, all other
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,420 | 90 |
| Reno, NV | $92,870 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $91,310 | 230 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $88,290 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $85,590 | 30 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,300 | 60 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $84,390 | 100 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $83,870 | 60 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,760 | 380 |
| Billings, MT | $83,530 | 50 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $81,660 | 40 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $80,660 | 160 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $80,430 | 270 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $78,500 | 290 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $78,350 | 70 |
Metro areas with the most plant and system operators, all other
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 1,010 | $50,720 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 780 | $53,200 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 480 | $48,550 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 400 | $77,130 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 380 | $83,760 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 290 | $78,500 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 270 | $80,430 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 230 | $51,210 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 230 | $91,310 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 210 | $55,790 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 210 | $50,840 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 170 | $67,760 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 160 | $80,660 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 150 | $77,330 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 130 | $55,830 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $60,020 | $28.86 |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $96,710 | $46.50 |
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 | $49.06 |
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $78,620 | $37.80 |
| Gas Plant Operator | $87,820 | $42.22 |
| Chemical Plant and System Operators | $78,120 | $37.56 |
| Power Distributors and Dispatchers | $106,730 | $51.31 |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operator | $122,890 | $59.08 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Machinist | $58,750 | $28.24 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-8099. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a plant and system operators, all other make in the U.S.?
The median salary for plant and system operators, all other in the U.S. is $62,470 a year, or $30.03 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,700 for the lowest-paid 10% to $94,560 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid plant and system operators, all other make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of plant and system operators, all other in the U.S. earn at least $94,560 a year. The top 25% earn $78,480 or more.
What is the starting pay for plant and system operators, all other in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,700 a year, and a quarter of plant and system operators, all other earn $48,900 or less.
How many plant and system operators, all other work in the U.S.?
About 14,080 plant and system operators, all other are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.