Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary
Chemical Plant and System Operators in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA make a median of $87,210 a year, or about $41.93 an hour. The range runs from $60K at the entry level to $102K for experienced workers.
So what does $87K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.4). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for chemical plant and system operators, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $78K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,835/month, which is 35.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.4), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical plant and system operators in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $112K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level chemical plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $60K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $102K or more, a $43K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 35.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,835/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical plant and system operators typically earn — is $60K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,577/month. At HUD’s $1,835/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $87K here vs. $78K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for chemical plant and system operators?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.4), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical plant and system operators make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $87,210 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,610, and experienced chemical plant and system operators can clear $102,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,219/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,835/month, which eats 35.2% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical plant and system operators salary is worth about $82,742 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.