Home / Apprenticeships / Occupations / Chemical Plant and System Operators
Chemical Plant and System Operators: apprenticeship hours and pay
O*NET-SOC 51-8091.00
Approved titles
1
RAPIDS codes
Shortest term
8,000 h
minimum on the list
National median pay
$78,120
a year, BLS May 2025
Jobs nationally
16,610
BLS May 2025
Approved apprenticeship titles
- Training approaches
- competency-based, hybrid, time-based
- Shortest approved term
- 8,000 hours, PLANT OPERATOR, FURNACE PRO (competency-based)
- State medians
- $128,830 in Florida to $45,830 in Tennessee (35 states publish one)
| Title | RAPIDS code | Approach and term |
|---|---|---|
| PLANT OPERATOR, FURNACE PRO | 0393 | Competency-Based: 8,000 hours Hybrid: 8,000 to 10,000 hours Time-Based: 8,000 hours |
What chemical plant and system operators earn, by state
| State | Median pay | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $128,830 | $61.94 | 60 |
| Wyoming | $107,810 | $51.83 | 300 |
| Texas | $102,750 | $49.40 | 2,360 |
| Louisiana | $100,060 | $48.10 | 3,400 |
| Kentucky | $97,550 | $46.90 | 40 |
| Maryland | $95,150 | $45.75 | 290 |
| Alabama | $91,610 | $44.04 | 230 |
| Arkansas | $91,610 | $44.04 | 240 |
| California | $87,550 | $42.09 | 780 |
| Oregon | $87,110 | $41.88 | 120 |
| New Jersey | $86,820 | $41.74 | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $83,710 | $40.25 | 570 |
| Idaho | $82,980 | $39.90 | 60 |
| West Virginia | $81,710 | $39.28 | 380 |
| New Mexico | $72,610 | $34.91 | Not published |
| Michigan | $72,430 | $34.82 | 40 |
| Mississippi | $71,080 | $34.17 | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $70,110 | $33.71 | 770 |
| South Carolina | $68,510 | $32.94 | 610 |
| Ohio | $67,580 | $32.49 | 240 |
| Minnesota | $66,500 | $31.97 | 150 |
| Illinois | $65,710 | $31.59 | 160 |
| Utah | $63,460 | $30.51 | 320 |
| Virginia | $63,000 | $30.29 | 760 |
| New York | $62,980 | $30.28 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $62,920 | $30.25 | 660 |
| Colorado | $62,870 | $30.23 | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $62,720 | $30.15 | 90 |
| Iowa | $60,440 | $29.06 | 490 |
| Washington | $60,120 | $28.90 | 350 |
| South Dakota | $59,970 | $28.83 | 180 |
| Missouri | $55,470 | $26.67 | 450 |
| Georgia | $49,230 | $23.67 | 220 |
| Indiana | $49,110 | $23.61 | 320 |
| Tennessee | $45,830 | $22.03 | 350 |
Finding a program
How to find a sponsor that trains this title · Apprenticeship sponsors by state (25,633) · All approved occupations
- Approved titles and terms: apprenticeship.gov approved occupations list, Last-Modified October 8, 2026, read October 8, 2026.
- Pay and jobs: BLS OEWS, May 2025, all industries, read October 8, 2026.