Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary
Chemical Plant and System Operators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN make a median of $65,750 a year, or about $31.61 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.59), that's roughly $63,471 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,781/month, about 41.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $66K get you in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chicago-Naperville-Elgin’s Regional Price Parity (103.59). 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
Pay for chemical plant and system operators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,781/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.59) 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $52K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Entry-level chemical plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $84K 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,781/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical plant and system operators typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,858/month. At HUD’s $1,781/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $66K here vs. $78K nationally.
How does Chicago-Naperville-Elgin compare to the national average for chemical plant and system operators?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.59), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — below the national median.
How much do chemical plant and system operators make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median is $65,750 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,630, and experienced chemical plant and system operators can clear $83,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,282/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,781/month, which eats 41.6% 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin?
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin has a Regional Price Parity of 103.59 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical plant and system operators salary is worth about $63,471 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.