Chemical Plant and System Operators Salary
Chemical Plant and System Operators in Sioux Falls, SD-MN make a median of $62,160 a year, or about $29.88 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.63), which stretches that salary to about $68,587 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,156/month, or 26.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $62K get you in Sioux Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux Falls’s Regional Price Parity (90.63). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Sioux Falls
Pay for chemical plant and system operators in Sioux Falls runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $78K. Rent runs $1,156/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% 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 Sioux Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $70K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux Falls, SD-MN
Entry-level chemical plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $11K 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 Sioux Falls numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Sioux Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,156/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical plant and system operators in Sioux Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical plant and system operators typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,131/month. At HUD’s $1,156/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Sioux Falls?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $62K here vs. $78K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Sioux Falls compare to the national average for chemical plant and system operators?
Sioux Falls pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $78K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — below the national median.
How much do chemical plant and system operators make in Sioux Falls, SD-MN?
The median is $62,160 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,190, and experienced chemical plant and system operators can clear $62,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Sioux Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,332/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,156/month, which eats 26.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemical plant and system operators salary go in Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 90.63 (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 $68,587 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.