SOC 51-8091 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chemical Plant and System Operators — New York
New York · 3 metro areas compared
The median wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in New York is $62,980 per year, 19.4% below the national median of $78,120.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in New York is $62,980 per year, 19.4% below the national median of $78,120. Pay ranges from under $55,070 at the tenth percentile to more than $90,690 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $55,070 to $84,390.
Employment stands at 120, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 35 states with published data for this occupation, New York ranks 25th by median wage. New York leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $90,470. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 424th of 776 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $55,070 | −29.5% |
| 25th | $55,070 | −29.5% |
| Median (50th) | $62,980 | −19.4% |
| 75th | $84,390 | +8.0% |
| 90th | $90,690 | +16.1% |
| Mean | $69,740 | −10.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in New York
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in New York run 7.9% above the national average, so the median of $62,980 buys what $58,369 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 25.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$62,980as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,369US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $62,980 a year, 19.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $55,070 to $90,690 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 120 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 25th of 35 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is New York, at $90,470.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chemical Plant and System Operators in New York?
The median annual wage is $62,980, or $30.28 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $78,120, so pay in New York is 19.4% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in New York earns more than $90,690 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $55,070 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in New York, at $90,470 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 120 jobs in this occupation in New York. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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