Plant and System Operators, All Other Salary
The median pay for a plant and system operators, all other in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ is $68,850/year ($33.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $66,638 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 39.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $69K actually covers in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Plant and system operators, all other pay in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler tracks closely to the national median, $69K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,839/month, which is 40% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for plant and system operators, all others in metros near Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $49K | , |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $77K | $68K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $80K | $76K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $91K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level plant and system operators, all others (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $51K 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 with published data
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 annually. We'll email you when Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a plant and system operators, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 40% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plant and system operators, all others typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,909/month. At HUD’s $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $69K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for plant and system operators, all others?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plant and system operators, all others make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $68,850 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,220, and experienced plant and system operators, all others can clear $92,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,592/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 40% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (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 plant and system operators, all other salary is worth about $66,638 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.