Plant and System Operators, All Other Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for plant and system operators, all others across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $65,700 ≈ $32/hr
National median salary $62,470
Total employment 14,080 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +1.6%
Slower than average
Annual openings 1,600 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 16,300 → 16,600 (+300)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Massachusetts$113,290
- Minnesota$88,800
- Washington$88,240
- Nevada$85,550
- Maryland$80,880
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $113,290 | $120,660 | $54 | +72.4% | 40 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $88,800 | $88,290 | $43 | +35.2% | 200 |
| 3 | Washington | $88,240 | $88,730 | $42 | +34.3% | 190 |
| 4 | Nevada | $85,550 | $80,000 | $41 | +30.2% | 150 |
| 5 | Maryland | $80,880 | $81,890 | $39 | +23.1% | 270 |
| 6 | California | $80,220 | $78,020 | $39 | +22.1% | 1,560 |
| 7 | Iowa | $78,080 | $75,800 | $38 | +18.8% | 50 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $77,270 | $66,770 | $37 | +17.6% | 90 |
| 9 | Montana | $77,100 | $81,340 | $37 | +17.4% | 170 |
| 10 | Illinois | $76,620 | $77,780 | $37 | +16.6% | 230 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | $73,690 | $74,240 | $35 | +12.2% | 80 |
| 12 | New York | $73,500 | $74,700 | $35 | +11.9% | 310 |
| 13 | Michigan | $73,470 | $64,690 | $35 | +11.8% | 250 |
| 14 | Kansas | $73,350 | $74,190 | $35 | +11.6% | 60 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $73,260 | $69,430 | $35 | +11.5% | 30 |
| 16 | Oregon | $71,310 | $71,900 | $34 | +8.5% | 140 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $70,970 | $65,080 | $34 | +8% | 140 |
| 18 | Utah | $70,180 | $67,910 | $34 | +6.8% | 180 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $69,970 | $62,630 | $34 | +6.5% | 350 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $69,900 | $69,970 | $34 | +6.4% | 290 |
| 21 | Indiana | $69,630 | $70,490 | $33 | +6% | 280 |
| 22 | Connecticut | $69,590 | $68,950 | $33 | +5.9% | 100 |
| 23 | Virginia | $69,010 | $61,940 | $33 | +5% | 180 |
| 24 | Arizona | $69,000 | $69,260 | $33 | +5% | 150 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $68,800 | $64,030 | $33 | +4.7% | 120 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $67,080 | $70,660 | $32 | +2.1% | 120 |
| 27 | Idaho | $66,640 | $61,690 | $32 | +1.4% | 40 |
| 28 | Ohio | $65,150 | $64,140 | $31 | -0.8% | 340 |
| 29 | Wisconsin | $64,500 | $62,800 | $31 | -1.8% | 160 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $64,150 | $60,240 | $31 | -2.4% | 150 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $63,920 | $61,190 | $31 | -2.7% | 220 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $61,750 | $55,710 | $30 | -6% | 120 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $59,280 | $50,840 | $29 | -9.8% | 620 |
| 34 | Maine | $59,200 | $62,270 | $28 | -9.9% | 110 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $58,320 | $56,060 | $28 | -11.2% | 150 |
| 36 | Colorado | $57,840 | $51,600 | $28 | -12% | 1,050 |
| 37 | Alabama | $57,530 | $51,690 | $28 | -12.4% | 30 |
| 38 | Texas | $57,420 | $50,820 | $28 | -12.6% | 3,570 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $56,320 | $57,430 | $27 | -14.3% | 190 |
| 40 | Florida | $55,950 | $50,910 | $27 | -14.8% | 590 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $55,490 | $48,220 | $27 | -15.5% | 70 |
| 42 | Missouri | $54,210 | $51,560 | $26 | -17.5% | 380 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $49,610 | $46,020 | $24 | -24.5% | 120 |
| 44 | Georgia | $49,210 | $44,670 | $24 | -25.1% | 240 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 88 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $94,420 | $95,910 | 90 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $92,870 | $87,730 | 40 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $91,310 | $88,310 | 230 |
| 4 | Duluth, MN-WI | $88,290 | $91,550 | 40 |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $85,590 | $89,220 | 30 |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $85,300 | $87,230 | 60 |
| 7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $84,390 | $85,680 | 100 |
| 8 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $83,870 | $94,340 | 60 |
| 9 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $83,760 | $81,290 | 380 |
| 10 | Billings, MT | $83,530 | $77,280 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing plant and system operators, all others (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $114,960 | $93,420 | 60 |
| 2 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $114,960 | $93,420 | 60 |
| 3 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $113,010 | $92,720 | 70 |
| 4 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $100,920 | $99,980 | 130 |
| 5 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $100,920 | $105,430 | 90 |
| 6 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $96,390 | $85,140 | 170 |
| 7 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $92,880 | $77,860 | 30 |
| 8 | State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $84,440 | $79,950 | 100 |
| 9 | Coal Mining | $83,380 | $85,230 | 60 |
| 10 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $80,040 | $79,190 | 740 |
| 11 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $77,670 | $81,990 | 80 |
| 12 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $77,670 | $81,990 | 80 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do plant and system operators, all other make in the U.S.?
The median plant and system operators, all other salary in the United States is $62,470 per year (mean $65,700), and about 80% earn between $40,700 and $94,560.
How much do plant and system operators, all other make per hour?
Roughly $32 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $65,700 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays plant and system operators, all other the most?
Massachusetts has the highest average pay for plant and system operators, all other at $113,290 per year (median $120,660).
What is the job outlook for plant and system operators, all other?
Employment is projected to change +1.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 1,600 openings per year.