Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Refinery Operator in Illinois is $72,300 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.
However, a Refinery Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Smart Recruiting
Refinery Operator Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $78,400 | $6,533 | $1,508 | $38 |
| Average | $72,300 | $6,025 | $1,390 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $65,300 | $5,442 | $1,256 | $31 |
Siouxland Community Health Center - SIOUX CITY, IA
TSG - The Sheridan Group - HARTFORD, VT
TSG - The Sheridan Group - GRANTHAM, NH
TSG - The Sheridan Group - WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT
A Refinery Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of a Refinery Operator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Refinery Operator | 0-1 years | $61,311 |
| Refinery Operator | 1-3 years | $72,245 |
| Oil Refinery Operator III | 3-5 years | $86,811 |
| Oil Refinery Operations Supervisor | 5+ years | $116,859 |
| Oil Refinery Operations Manager | 5+ years | $153,223 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Refinery Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
Refinery Operator salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $84,242. While startup companies pay approximate $71,343.
| Company Size | Employees | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Startup | 1~50 | $71,343 |
| Growth Stage | 51~500 | $75,431 |
| Established | 501~5000 | $81,381 |
| Enterprise | 5000+ | $84,242 |
Understanding how a Refinery Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $78,400 | $6,533 | $1,508 | $38 |
| Average | $72,300 | $6,025 | $1,390 | $35 |
| 25th Percentile | $65,300 | $5,442 | $1,256 | $31 |
For a Refinery Operator, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Oil Refinery Operator III role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $86,900 - a projected growth of 20% over your current level.
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Refinery Operator job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
TSG - The Sheridan Group
WEST WOODSTOCK, VT
Orica
NORTH POLE, AK
Orica | NORTH POLE, AK
Orica is seeking a dedicated Plant Operator to join our Manufacturing & Production team in the Mining & Quarrying sector. In this role, you will operate an... more
10 Days Ago
TSG - The Sheridan Group
HARTFORD, VT
TSG - The Sheridan Group | HARTFORD, VT
TSG – The Sheridan Group seeks an Operator 8-Unit Web to run and maintain multi-unit web offset presses in our Printing Media, Manufacturing & Production o... more
13 Days Ago
TSG - The Sheridan Group
WILDER, VT
TSG - The Sheridan Group | WILDER, VT
TSG – The Sheridan Group seeks an Operator 8-Unit Web to run and maintain multi-unit web offset presses in our Printing Media, Manufacturing & Production o... more
13 Days Ago
TSG - The Sheridan Group
RUSSTOWN, VT
TSG - The Sheridan Group | RUSSTOWN, VT
TSG – The Sheridan Group seeks an Operator 8-Unit Web to run and maintain multi-unit web offset presses in our Printing Media, Manufacturing & Production o... more
13 Days Ago
TSG - The Sheridan Group
NORTH THETFORD, VT
TSG - The Sheridan Group | NORTH THETFORD, VT
TSG – The Sheridan Group seeks an Operator 8-Unit Web to run and maintain multi-unit web offset presses in our Printing Media, Manufacturing & Production o... more
14 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
