Plant and System Operators, All Other Salary
The median pay for a plant and system operators, all other in Columbus, OH is $68,690/year ($33.03/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $71,949 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,430/month, about 31.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $69K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 plant and system operators, all others
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What this looks like in Columbus
Plant and system operators, all other pay in Columbus tracks closely to the national median, $69K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,430/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plant and system operators, all others in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $67K | $71K |
| Cleveland | $67K | $72K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $66K | $71K |
| Pittsburgh | $51K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level plant and system operators, all others (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Plant and System Operators, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Plant and System Operators, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +93% | 40 |
| Washington | $89K | +42% | 190 |
| Minnesota | $88K | +41% | 200 |
| Maryland | $82K | +31% | 270 |
| Montana | $81K | +30% | 170 |
| Nevada | $80K | +28% | 150 |
| California | $78K | +25% | 1,560 |
| Illinois | $78K | +25% | 230 |
| Iowa | $76K | +21% | 50 |
| New York | $75K | +20% | 310 |
| Oklahoma | $74K | +19% | 80 |
| Kansas | $74K | +19% | 60 |
| Oregon | $72K | +15% | 140 |
| West Virginia | $71K | +13% | 120 |
| Indiana | $70K | +13% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $70K | +12% | 290 |
| Kentucky | $69K | +11% | 30 |
| Arizona | $69K | +11% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $69K | +10% | 100 |
| Utah | $68K | +9% | 180 |
| Wyoming | $67K | +7% | 90 |
| Mississippi | $65K | +4% | 140 |
| Michigan | $65K | +4% | 250 |
| Ohio | $64K | +3% | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | +2% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | +1% | 160 |
| Louisiana | $63K | +0% | 350 |
| Maine | $62K | -0% | 110 |
| Virginia | $62K | -1% | 180 |
| Idaho | $62K | -1% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $61K | -2% | 220 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -4% | 150 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -8% | 190 |
| South Carolina | $56K | -10% | 150 |
| New Mexico | $56K | -11% | 120 |
| Alabama | $52K | -17% | 30 |
| Colorado | $52K | -17% | 1,050 |
| Missouri | $52K | -17% | 380 |
| Florida | $51K | -19% | 590 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -19% | 620 |
| Texas | $51K | -19% | 3,570 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -23% | 70 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -26% | 120 |
| Georgia | $45K | -28% | 240 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track plant and system operators, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbus numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a plant and system operators, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbus?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 30.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for plant and system operators, all others in Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plant and system operators, all others typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,103/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 46% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is plant and system operators, all other a high-paying job in Columbus?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $69K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for plant and system operators, all others?
Columbus pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plant and system operators, all others make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $68,690 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,710, and experienced plant and system operators, all others can clear $79,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,626/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 30.9% 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 plant and system operators, all other salary go in Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 plant and system operators, all other salary is worth about $71,949 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do plant and system operators, all others 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.