# Chemical Plant and System Operators

> Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chemical-plant-and-system-operators
- SOC code: 51-8091.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $78,120 (10th percentile $48,400, 90th percentile $111,930)
- Projected growth: Decline, -5.2%
- Openings a year: 1,300
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 87 |
| Investigative (I) | 36 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 4 |
| Enterprising (E) | 10 |
| Conventional (C) | 69 |

## What you'd do

- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 99/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 92/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 87/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 87/100)
- Getting Information (importance 87/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 87/100)
- Processing Information (importance 81/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 81/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 81/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Judgment and Decision Making, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Time Management

## Knowledge

Mechanical, Chemistry, Mathematics, Production and Processing, Physics, Public Safety and Security, Engineering and Technology, Computers and Electronics, English Language, Law and Government

## Also called

Chemical Operator, Chemical Plant Operations Technician (Chemical Plan Operations Tech), Chemical Plant Operator, Chemical Plant Production Operator, Chemical Process Control Operator, Chemical Process Operator, Chemical Production Operator, Chemical Treatment Plant Technician (Chemical Treatment Plant Tech), Development Associate, Furnace Plant Operator

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Physical Science Technologies/Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4103) (CIP 4103, 97 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Lee College-Texas](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lee-college-texas-1466) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $69,014 | $126,148 | $11,570 |
| [San Jacinto Community College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/san-jacinto-community-college-2351) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $63,523 | $111,662 | not reported |
| [Ashland Community and Technical College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/ashland-community-and-technical-college-122) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $60,917 | $103,607 | not reported |
| [College of the Mainland](https://www.collegesref.com/college/college-of-the-mainland-627) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $70,572 | $101,553 | not reported |
| [Victoria College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/victoria-college-3125) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | not reported | $99,658 | not reported |
| [Kilgore College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/kilgore-college-1397) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $61,456 | $99,017 | not reported |
| [Del Mar College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/del-mar-college-782) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $76,424 | $98,153 | $5,500 |
| [Lamar State College-Orange](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lamar-state-college-orange-1436) | Physical Science Technologies/Technicians | $78,259 | $92,294 | not reported |

## Related careers

- [Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/chemical-equipment-operators-and-tenders): $58,040 median pay
- [Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/separating-filtering-clarifying-precipitating-and-still-machine-setters-operators-and): $51,610 median pay
- [Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/water-and-wastewater-treatment-plant-and-system-operators): $60,020 median pay
- [Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/petroleum-pump-system-operators-refinery-operators-and-gaugers): $96,710 median pay
- [Biomass Plant Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/biomass-plant-technicians): $102,040 median pay
- [Power Plant Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/power-plant-operators): $102,040 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.