Plant and System Operators, All Other Salary
The median pay for a plant and system operators, all other in Virginia is $61,940/year ($29.78/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $65,344 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 40.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $62K get you in Virginia?
About plant and system operators, all others
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What this looks like in Virginia
Plant and system operators, all other pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 40.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level plant and system operators, all others (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track plant and system operators, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a plant and system operators, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 40.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 plant and system operators, all others in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new plant and system operators, all others typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,059/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for plant and system operators, all others?
Virginia pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do plant and system operators, all others make in Virginia?
The median is $61,940 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,990, and experienced plant and system operators, all others can clear $92,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,064/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 40.5% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $65,344 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.