Jobs Similar to Chemical Plant and System Operators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to chemical plant and system operators, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders, Biomass Plant Technicians and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers.
Chemical Plant and System Operators: $78,120 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
- 1Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
80% similar · $58,040 (−26%) · High school
- 2Biomass Plant Technicians
79% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 3Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
79% similar · $96,710 (+24%) · High school · Same group
- 4Nuclear Technicians
78% similar · $110,240 (+41%) · Training or associate
- 5Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
78% similar · $78,620 (+1%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 6Biofuels Processing Technicians
78% similar · $62,470 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 7Power Plant Operators
78% similar · $102,040 (+31%) · High school · Same group
- 8Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
78% similar · $77,320 (−1%) · High school
- 9Gas Plant Operators
77% similar · $87,820 (+12%) · High school · Same group
- 10Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
77% similar · $60,020 (−23%) · High school · Same group
- 11Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
76% similar · $51,610 (−34%) · High school
- 12Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
76% similar · $122,890 (+57%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 13Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
76% similar · $45,760 (−41%) · High school
- 14Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
76% similar · $41,330 (−47%) · High school
- 15Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
76% similar · $48,750 (−38%) · High school
- 16Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
76% similar · $46,550 (−40%) · High school
- 17Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
75% similar · $54,430 (−30%) · High school
- 18Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
75% similar · $61,770 (−21%) · High school
- 19Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators
75% similar · $50,690 (−35%) · High school
- 20Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
75% similar · $82,890 (+6%) · Training or associate
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 plant and system operators.
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for chemical plant and system operators also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where chemical plant and system operators is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (90)
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (86)
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (85)
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (82)
- Semiconductor Processing Technicians (80)
- Chemical Technicians (78)
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders (78)
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders (78)
- Wellhead Pumpers (78)
- Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders (77)
Questions about jobs like chemical plant and system operators
What jobs are most similar to chemical plant and system operators?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (80% similar), Biomass Plant Technicians (79% similar), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (79% similar), Nuclear Technicians (78% similar) and Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators (78% similar).
Which jobs like chemical plant and system operators pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890, +57%; usually training or an associate degree), Nuclear Technicians ($110,240, +41%; usually training or an associate degree) and Power Plant Operators ($102,040, +31%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with chemical plant and system operators ($78,120). Without more preparation than chemical plant and system operators usually need: Power Plant Operators, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers and Gas Plant 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.