Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Career, Salary and Skills
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $58,040 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 139,630. Wage data is published for 244 locations.
Occupation description
Operate or tend equipment to control chemical changes or reactions in the processing of industrial or consumer products. Equipment used includes devulcanizers, steam-jacketed kettles, and reactor vessels.
O*NET code
51-9011.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$58,040
Hourly median
$27.90
Employment
139,630
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Writing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Observe safety precautions to prevent fires or explosions.
- Patrol work areas to detect leaks or equipment malfunctions or to monitor operating conditions.
- Monitor gauges, recording instruments, flowmeters, or products to ensure that specified conditions are maintained.
- Inspect equipment or units to detect leaks or malfunctions, shutting equipment down, if necessary.
- Record operational data, such as temperatures, pressures, ingredients used, processing times, or test results.
- Draw samples of products at specified stages so that analyses can be performed.
- Measure, weigh, and mix chemical ingredients, according to specifications.
- Inventory supplies received and consumed.
Technology
- Microsoft Outlook
- IBM Notes
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- Operational databases
- SAP software
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in TXMedian $60,150 · Employment 20,880
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in Houston, TXMedian $79,430 · Employment 9,390
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in NJMedian $56,500 · Employment 8,560
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in New York, NYMedian $54,790 · Employment 8,060
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in OHMedian $60,550 · Employment 7,830
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in LAMedian $78,580 · Employment 6,430
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in INMedian $56,800 · Employment 6,240
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in PAMedian $56,630 · Employment 6,230
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in CAMedian $58,300 · Employment 5,670
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in ILMedian $61,940 · Employment 5,580
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in NCMedian $49,650 · Employment 5,260
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in MIMedian $50,060 · Employment 5,210
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.