Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary
Chemical Plant and System Operators in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY make a median of $55,210 a year, or about $26.54 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $91K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.57), that's roughly $55,448 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,702/month, about 47.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albany-Schenectady-Troy’s Regional Price Parity (99.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About chemical plant and system operators
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What this looks like in Albany-Schenectady-Troy
Pay for chemical plant and system operators in Albany-Schenectady-Troy runs about 29% below the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,702/month, which is 46.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for chemical plant and system operatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical plant and system operators in metros near Albany-Schenectady-Troy, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $90K | $80K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $84K | $88K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $82K | $76K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $77K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
Entry-level chemical plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $91K or more, a $36K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Plant and System Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemical Plant and System Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $129K | +65% | 60 |
| Wyoming | $108K | +38% | 300 |
| Texas | $103K | +32% | 2,360 |
| Louisiana | $100K | +28% | 3,400 |
| Kentucky | $98K | +25% | 40 |
| Maryland | $95K | +22% | 290 |
| Alabama | $92K | +17% | 230 |
| Arkansas | $92K | +17% | 240 |
| California | $88K | +12% | 780 |
| Oregon | $87K | +12% | 120 |
| New Jersey | $87K | +11% | 330 |
| Massachusetts | $84K | +7% | 570 |
| Idaho | $83K | +6% | 60 |
| West Virginia | $82K | +5% | 380 |
| New Mexico | $73K | -7% | N/A |
| Michigan | $72K | -7% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $71K | -9% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $70K | -10% | 770 |
| South Carolina | $69K | -12% | 610 |
| Ohio | $68K | -13% | 240 |
| Minnesota | $67K | -15% | 150 |
| Illinois | $66K | -16% | 160 |
| Utah | $63K | -19% | 320 |
| Virginia | $63K | -19% | 760 |
| New York | $63K | -19% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -19% | 660 |
| Colorado | $63K | -20% | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -20% | 90 |
| Iowa | $60K | -23% | 490 |
| Washington | $60K | -23% | 350 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -23% | 180 |
| Missouri | $55K | -29% | 450 |
| Georgia | $49K | -37% | 220 |
| Indiana | $49K | -37% | 320 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -41% | 350 |
Showing 1–10 of 35 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track chemical plant and system operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Albany-Schenectady-Troy numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 46.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,702/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical plant and system operators in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical plant and system operators typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,304/month. At HUD’s $1,702/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemical plant and system operator a high-paying job in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Local pay runs 29% below the national median — $55K here vs. $78K nationally.
How does Albany-Schenectady-Troy compare to the national average for chemical plant and system operators?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -29%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do chemical plant and system operators make in Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY?
The median is $55,210 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $55,070, and experienced chemical plant and system operators can clear $90,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,664/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,702/month, which eats 46.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a chemical plant and system operators salary go in Albany-Schenectady-Troy?
Albany-Schenectady-Troy has a Regional Price Parity of 99.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical plant and system operators salary is worth about $55,448 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemical plant and system operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.