National Salary Info » Plant and System Operators

Highest Paying Industries for Plant and System Operators

The top 100 highest paying industries for plant and system operators (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $101,060, colleges, universities, and professional schools - local government owned is the highest paying industry for plant and system operators. It is followed by outpatient care centers industry (average annual salary $84,090). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of plant and system operators in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Plant and System Operators

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Local government owned	$101,060	$62,530	150
2	Outpatient Care Centers	$84,090	$48,990	220
3	Postal Service (federal government)	$79,430	$58,030	40
4	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$79,200	$51,390	n/a
5	Finance and Insurance	$76,370	$50,690	80
6	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$73,890	$45,620	1,230
7	Scientific Research and Development Services	$73,890	$45,620	1,230
8	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$72,820	$49,970	45,510
9	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$72,760	$43,850	2,380
10	Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$72,500	$64,000	40
11	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$72,110	$52,840	540
12	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$70,400	$43,370	130
13	Offices of Physicians	$69,510	$58,300	n/a
14	Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	$69,180	$46,680	230
15	Natural Gas Distribution	$68,680	$42,760	8,890
16	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$68,220	$38,500	160
17	Utilities	$68,120	$36,730	68,600
18	Lessors of Real Estate	$67,130	$33,520	640
19	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$66,610	$40,050	480
20	Other Support Services	$66,540	$33,550	70
21	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$66,290	$40,430	22,090
22	Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil	$65,870	$42,580	1,810
23	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$65,730	$37,740	1,130
24	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Local government owned	$65,460	$38,440	530
25	Hospitals - Local government owned	$65,460	$38,440	530
26	Real Estate	$64,830	$38,610	2,030
27	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$64,830	$38,610	2,030
28	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	$64,420	$33,260	320
29	Pipeline Transportation	$64,310	$43,090	10,340
30	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$64,290	$42,550	6,020
31	Transportation and Warehousing	$63,980	$42,140	10,970
32	Activities Related to Real Estate	$63,790	$42,790	1,380
33	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$63,780	$35,020	2,950
34	Other Pipeline Transportation	$63,140	$45,230	2,510
35	Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$62,860	$35,890	210
36	Oil and Gas Extraction	$60,910	$40,260	8,240
37	Federal government, including USPS	$60,690	$48,220	6,280
38	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$60,650	$48,160	6,240
39	Educational Services - Local government owned	$60,480	$35,140	1,930
40	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$59,880	$38,230	7,390
41	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$59,860	$43,460	210
42	Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing	$59,550	$39,380	30
43	Junior colleges - Local government owned	$59,520	$30,500	240
44	Health Care and Social Assistance	$59,380	$39,650	7,170
45	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$59,180	$39,730	260
46	Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing	$59,090	$36,460	270
47	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$59,030	$35,340	17,830
48	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$58,920	$40,070	5,850
49	Hospitals - Privately owned	$58,850	$40,280	5,410
50	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$58,730	$40,220	5,240
51	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$58,480	$39,820	6,460
52	Engineering Services	$58,110	$34,730	840
53	Manufacturing	$57,340	$34,560	76,050
54	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$57,260	$34,900	1,540
55	Mining	$57,230	$33,950	14,510
56	Support Activities for Transportation	$57,200	$37,000	100
57	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$56,710	$34,290	4,070
58	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$56,470	$34,470	1,470
59	Educational Support Services	$56,450	$30,410	40
60	Foundries	$56,380	$34,730	80
61	Chemical Manufacturing	$56,330	$34,770	37,280
62	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$56,320	$40,800	50
63	Beverage Manufacturing	$56,180	$31,690	590
64	Petroleum and Petroleum Products Merchant Wholesalers	$56,080	$37,340	2,620
65	Metal Ore Mining	$56,080	$43,590	470
66	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$56,050	$31,740	600
67	Educational Services - Privately owned	$56,040	$33,940	1,610
68	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$55,740	$38,320	4,170
69	Specialty hospitals - State government owned	$55,730	$43,590	80
70	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$55,730	$34,060	1,680
71	Repair and Maintenance	$55,710	$36,910	150
72	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$55,710	$35,740	3,280
73	Spectator Sports	$55,690	$40,640	40
74	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$55,630	$32,100	1,050
75	Paper Manufacturing	$55,610	$37,980	4,530
76	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$55,500	$32,680	3,900
77	Facilities Support Services	$55,410	$39,880	530
78	Commercial and Industrial Machinery Equipment (except Auto and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance	$55,210	$36,570	120
79	Junior Colleges (including private, state, and local government schools)	$55,200	$31,580	380
80	Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$55,060	$28,680	80
81	Ship and Boat Building	$54,970	$43,270	80
82	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals - Privately owned	$54,750	$39,940	40
83	Wholesale Trade	$54,740	$34,820	4,110
84	Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing	$54,640	$32,250	730
85	Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers	$54,470	$33,480	470
86	Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing	$54,320	$33,230	50
87	Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing	$54,230	$37,620	2,320
88	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$53,950	$30,570	4,480
89	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$53,790	$34,500	1,020
90	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$53,590	$34,870	360
91	Accommodation and Food Services	$53,430	$27,500	1,290
92	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$53,370	$30,620	60
93	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals	$53,350	$30,380	400
94	Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals - State government owned	$53,230	$29,750	360
95	Rubber Product Manufacturing	$53,220	$30,580	120
96	Casino Hotels	$53,190	$39,020	90
97	Hospitals - State government owned	$53,130	$32,420	530
98	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$52,840	$32,350	230
99	Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing	$52,800	$31,660	300
100	Accommodation	$52,680	$27,290	1,250