Jobs Similar to Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to chemical equipment operators and tenders, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Biomass Plant Technicians and Pump Operators.
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders: $58,040 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
83% similar · $96,710 (+67%) · High school
- 2Biomass Plant Technicians
81% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · High school
- 3Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
80% similar · $61,770 (+6%) · High school
- 4Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
80% similar · $48,750 (−16%) · High school
- 5Chemical Plant and System Operators
80% similar · $78,120 (+35%) · High school
- 6Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
80% similar · $77,320 (+33%) · High school
- 7Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
80% similar · $48,040 (−17%) · High school · Same group
- 8Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
80% similar · $46,460 (−20%) · High school · Same group
- 9Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
79% similar · $54,430 (−6%) · High school
- 10Biofuels Processing Technicians
79% similar · $62,470 (broader group) · High school
- 11Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
79% similar · $43,530 (−25%) · High school · Same group
- 12Tire Builders
79% similar · $57,390 (−1%) · High school · Same group
- 13Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
79% similar · $45,760 (−21%) · High school · Same group
- 14Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
79% similar · $46,550 (−20%) · High school
- 15Pourers and Casters, Metal
79% similar · $51,810 (−11%) · High school
- 16Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
78% similar · $48,540 (−16%) · High school · Same group
- 17Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
78% similar · $43,960 (−24%) · High school
- 18Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
78% similar · $51,610 (−11%) · High school · Same group
- 19Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
78% similar · $46,350 (−20%) · High school
- 20Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
78% similar · $50,140 (−14%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than chemical equipment operators and tenders.
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for chemical equipment operators and tenders also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where chemical equipment operators and tenders is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (87)
- Biofuels Processing Technicians (86)
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (86)
- Biomass Plant Technicians (85)
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (84)
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators (84)
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (82)
- Chemical Plant and System Operators (80)
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (79)
- Pourers and Casters, Metal (79)
Questions about jobs like chemical equipment operators and tenders
What jobs are most similar to chemical equipment operators and tenders?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (83% similar), Biomass Plant Technicians (81% similar), Pump Operators (80% similar), Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (80% similar) and Chemical Plant and System Operators (80% similar).
Which jobs like chemical equipment operators and tenders pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($96,710, +67%; usually a high school diploma), Chemical Plant and System Operators ($78,120, +35%; usually a high school diploma) and Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators ($77,320, +33%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with chemical equipment operators and tenders ($58,040). Without more preparation than chemical equipment operators and tenders usually need: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Chemical Plant and System Operators and Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.