Plant and System Operators, All Other

United States SOC 51-8099.00 Manufacturing & Repair Confidence ★★★★★

Also called: Asphalt Plant Operator, Batch and Furnace Operator, Batch Plant Operator, Batcher Operator, Bulk Plant Operator, Cement Boat and Barge Loader, Charge Machine Operator, Chief Lock Tender Operator

All plant and system operators not listed separately.

Median annual pay
$62,470
25th–75th pct. $48,900–$78,480
Top pay (est.)
$122,900
Top 10% $94,560
Pay in 5 years
$72,100est.
2031
Pay in 10 years
$83,300est.
$71,600–$96,700
Outlook score
47/100
★★☆☆☆ Average
AI replacement risk
50%
Moderate
Job growth (10 yr)
+2.3%
1,200 openings / yr

What plant and system operators, all other do

All plant and system operators not listed separately.

Typical path into the job (BLS)

Education High school diploma or equivalentRelated experience NoneOn-the-job training Moderate-term on-the-job training

Plant and System Operators, All Other salary

The median annual wage for plant and system operators, all other is $62,470 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $40,700 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $94,560. The mean annual wage is $65,700.

Median
$62,470
Mean
$65,700
10th percentile
$40,700
Entry level
25th percentile
$48,900
75th percentile
$78,480
90th percentile
$94,560
Top earners
Mean hourly wage
$31.00
4.3× the federal minimum ($7.25)
In Japanese yen
¥9.82M
≈ at 157.25 JPY/USD

The mean hourly wage of $31.00 is 4.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →

How does your pay compare with people your age?

Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).

Pay by percentile

Entry level (10th pct.)
$40,700
Early career (25th pct.)
$48,900
Mid career (median)
$62,470
Experienced (75th pct.)
$78,480
Top earners (90th pct.)
$94,560

Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.

How median, percentiles and the pay range are defined →

Projected pay for Plant and System Operators, All Other (3, 5 and 10 years)est.

Today $62,470 → in 3 years $68,100 → in 5 years $72,100 → in 10 years $83,300 (10-year range $71,600–$96,700). The model assumes pay growth of +2.9% per year.

$62,470
Now
2026
$68,100
In 3 yrs
2029
$62,900–$74,100
$72,100
In 5 yrs
2031
$65,000–$80,300
$83,300
In 10 yrs
2036
$71,600–$96,700

What drives the annual growth rate

Base wage growth +3.0%Labor demand -0.09%AI impact +0.0%Total +2.9% / yr

Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →

Outlook score for Plant and System Operators, All Other

47/100
★★☆☆☆
Average · ranked #554 of all U.S. occupations
Pay level
52 pts
AI resistance
50 pts
Annual openings
42 pts
Projected growth
45 pts

Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.

Will AI replace Plant and System Operators, All Other? AI replacement risk

50%
Moderate
Ranked #515 safest from AI among all U.S. occupations
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

How AI is changing this job

A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.

AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →

Labor demand for Plant and System Operators, All Other

Employment
14K
BLS OEWS
Projected employment
15K
2025–35
Projected change
+2.3%
ranked #452 for growth
Annual openings
1,200
growth + replacement needs
Demand score
Average
40/100
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None
in a related occupation
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.

Skills, education and requirements for Plant and System Operators, All Other

How to become plant and system operators, all other

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
BLS
Related experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.

Career path and how to earn more as plant and system operators, all other

Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.