Chemical Plant Operators vs Water Treatment Operators
Median pay is about $18k higher for Chemical Plant Operators. Both usually start with the same education: high school.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Chemical Plant Operators | Water Treatment Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $78,120, higher | $60,020 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $60,330, higher | $48,040 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $98,660, higher | $74,780 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | -5.2% Declining, higher | -5.7% Declining |
| Openings a year | 1,300 | 10,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.4 / 5 | 2.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 15th pct | 49th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Chemical Plant Operators
- Active Learning
Only Water Treatment Operators
- Mathematics
Both lean on monitoring, critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.