Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary
Chemical Plant and System Operators in Memphis, TN-MS-AR make a median of $57,370 a year, or about $27.58 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $62,237 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,274/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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 Memphis
Pay for chemical plant and system operators in Memphis runs about 27% below the U.S. median of $78K. Rent runs $1,274/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical plant and system operators in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $78K | $80K |
| St. Louis | $52K | $55K |
| Mobile | $96K | $109K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $65K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level chemical plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $33K 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 |
| Arkansas | $92K | +17% | 240 |
| Alabama | $92K | +17% | 230 |
| 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
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 Memphis numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Memphis?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 31.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical plant and system operators typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,666/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Memphis?
Local pay runs 27% below the national median — $57K here vs. $78K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for chemical plant and system operators?
Memphis pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -27%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do chemical plant and system operators make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $57,370 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,440, and experienced chemical plant and system operators can clear $76,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,011/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 31.8% 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 Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $62,237 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.