Ethanol Process Operator Salary in the United States
How much does an Ethanol Process Operator make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for an Ethanol Process Operator in the United States is $46,509 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.
However, an Ethanol Process Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $54,505
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $43,032 to $50,694
Key Factors That Influence Ethanol Process Operator Salaries
An Ethanol Process 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.
How Experience Level Affects Ethanol Process Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Ethanol Process 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:
How Do Ethanol Process Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?
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 Ethanol Process Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $51,495.
California: $51,300.
Massachusetts: $50,616.
District of Columbia$51,495
California$51,300
Massachusetts$50,616
Washington$50,430
New Jersey$50,411
Alaska$50,346
Connecticut$49,704
New York$49,444
Hawaii$48,612
Rhode Island$48,221
Maryland$47,956
Minnesota$47,593
Colorado$47,453
Illinois$47,407
Oregon$47,230
Delaware$47,100
New Hampshire$47,018
Virginia$46,835
Pennsylvania$46,300
Nevada$46,030
North Dakota$45,942
Michigan$45,802
Wisconsin$45,751
Vermont$45,649
Texas$45,365
Maine$45,347
Arizona$45,319
Ohio$45,286
Georgia$44,858
Indiana$44,644
Wyoming$44,602
Utah$44,537
Iowa$44,509
Kansas$44,286
Louisiana$44,221
North Carolina$44,198
Missouri$44,188
Florida$44,007
Montana$43,909
Nebraska$43,816
Kentucky$43,765
South Carolina$43,579
Tennessee$43,463
Idaho$43,416
New Mexico$43,077
Oklahoma$43,002
Alabama$42,728
South Dakota$42,268
Arkansas$42,017
West Virginia$41,882
Mississippi$41,477
Top Paying Cities for Ethanol Process Operators
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:
San Jose: $58,662
San Francisco: $58,020
Oakland: $56,797
San Jose, CA$58,662
San Francisco, CA$58,020
Oakland, CA$56,797
New York, NY$53,550
Paramus, NJ$52,899
Queens Village, NY$52,897
Passaic, NJ$52,853
Bergenfield, NJ$52,849
Stamford, CT$52,746
Huntington, NY$52,727
Newark, NJ$52,383
Bridgeport, CT$52,285
Vallejo, CA$52,193
New Brunswick, NJ$52,174
Petaluma, CA$52,146
Middlesex, NJ$52,058
Somerset, NJ$52,025
Santa Cruz, CA$51,965
Boston, MA$51,681
Monterey, CA$51,518
Seattle, WA$51,411
Santa Rosa, CA$51,402
Los Angeles, CA$51,388
Juneau, AK$51,267
Washington, DC$51,216
Orange, CA$51,050
Santa Ana, CA$50,928
Long Beach, CA$50,881
Anaheim, CA$50,872
Anchorage, AK$50,849
Santa Maria, CA$50,709
Everett, WA$50,700
Danbury, CT$50,536
Bremerton, WA$50,472
Tacoma, WA$50,304
New Suffolk, NY$50,304
Sacramento, CA$50,291
Santa Barbara, CA$50,239
Trenton, NJ$50,188
San Diego, CA$50,188
Brockton, MA$50,137
Fairbanks, AK$50,023
Lompoc, CA$49,904
Lowell, MA$49,867
Ventura, CA$49,858
Nashua, NH$49,849
Stockton, CA$49,844
Modesto, CA$49,504
Poughkeepsie, NY$49,402
Olympia, WA$49,314
Kennewick, WA$49,314
New Haven, CT$49,295
Lawrence, MA$49,128
Hartford, CT$49,081
Riverside, CA$49,072
New Bedford, MA$49,025
Richland, WA$49,025
Bakersfield, CA$48,960
San Bernardino, CA$48,942
New Britain, CT$48,937
Atlantic City, NJ$48,937
New London, CT$48,918
Norwich, CT$48,905
Portsmouth, NH$48,895
Boulder, CO$48,797
Portland, OR$48,732
Worcester, MA$48,728
Minneapolis, MN$48,584
Philadelphia, PA$48,519
Honolulu, HI$48,365
Saint Paul, MN$48,343
Vineland, NJ$48,332
Providence, RI$48,198
Chicago, IL$48,063
Bellingham, WA$48,007
Springfield, MA$47,970
Baltimore, MD$47,956
Chico, CA$47,839
Pittsfield, MA$47,714
Manchester, NH$47,626
Spokane, WA$47,421
Denver, CO$47,416
Albany, NY$47,198
Troy, NY$47,179
Nassau, NY$47,129
Schenectady, NY$47,081
Wilmington, DE$47,044
Burlington, VT$46,979
Salem, OR$46,960
Portland, ME$46,816
Yakima, WA$46,770
Rochester, MN$46,626
Reno, NV$46,602
Fresno, CA$46,602
Milwaukee, WI$46,560
Detroit, MI$46,514
Ann Arbor, MI$46,506
Allentown, PA$46,500
Colorado Springs, CO$46,421
Syracuse, NY$46,398
Carson City, NV$46,398
Houston, TX$46,333
Eugene, OR$46,309
Gary, IN$46,253
Springfield, OR$46,216
Bismarck, ND$46,207
Galveston, TX$46,174
Medford, OR$46,105
Fort Collins, CO$46,086
Concord, NH$46,063
Austin, TX$46,049
Mesa, AZ$45,951
Reading, PA$45,947
Phoenix, AZ$45,942
Dallas, TX$45,928
Saint Cloud, MN$45,883
Madison, WI$45,821
Utica, NY$45,695
Rochester, NY$45,621
Des Moines, IA$45,616
Raleigh, NC$45,612
Atlanta, GA$45,542
Battle Creek, MI$45,528
Salt Lake City, UT$45,514
Lancaster, PA$45,444
Harrisburg, PA$45,379
Kansas City, MO$45,333
Champaign, IL$45,323
Kansas City, KS$45,323
Fort Worth, TX$45,319
Columbus, OH$45,311
Boca Raton, FL$45,300
Pittsburgh, PA$45,281
Richmond, VA$45,263
Indianapolis, IN$45,254
Cleveland, OH$45,249
Las Vegas, NV$45,193
Cincinnati, OH$45,193
Petersburg, VA$45,123
Huntsville, AL$45,054
Lansing, MI$45,022
Lebanon, PA$45,016
Pueblo, CO$45,012
Appleton, WI$44,998
Buffalo, NY$44,979
Dayton, OH$44,965
Racine, WI$44,956
Charlotte, NC$44,951
Saint Louis, MO$44,937
York, PA$44,909
Elkhart, IN$44,909
Gastonia, NC$44,901
Billings, MT$44,889
Beaumont, TX$44,877
Lorain, OH$44,868
Benton Harbor, MI$44,858
Toledo, OH$44,849
Binghamton, NY$44,826
Rock Hill, SC$44,821
Rockford, IL$44,798
Springfield, IL$44,779
Elyria, OH$44,775
Fargo, ND$44,775
Flagstaff, AZ$44,742
Fort Lauderdale, FL$44,714
Duluth, MN$44,686
Miami, FL$44,686
Cheyenne, WY$44,654
Grand Forks, ND$44,654
Bangor, ME$44,551
Cedar Rapids, IA$44,500
Durham, NC$44,481
Louisville, KY$44,477
Grand Rapids, MI$44,468
Hialeah, FL$44,463
Casper, WY$44,398
Scranton, PA$44,342
New Orleans, LA$44,328
Virginia Beach, VA$44,323
Akron, OH$44,300
Peoria, IL$44,240
Sarasota, FL$44,230
Nashville, TN$44,198
Omaha, NE$44,198
Green Bay, WI$44,198
Baton Rouge, LA$44,175
Charleston, SC$44,165
Jamestown, NY$44,142
Davenport, IA$44,142
Tucson, AZ$44,119
Saint Petersburg, FL$44,091
Tampa, FL$44,082
Evansville, IN$44,054
Port Arthur, TX$44,054
Bradenton, FL$44,035
Santa Fe, NM$43,951
Orlando, FL$43,868
Clearwater, FL$43,854
Canton, OH$43,756
La Crosse, WI$43,756
Albuquerque, NM$43,728
Newport News, VA$43,723
High Point, NC$43,709
Ogden, UT$43,691
Corpus Christi, TX$43,654
Norfolk, VA$43,626
Laramie, WY$43,626
Rock Island, IL$43,598
Saginaw, MI$43,589
Jacksonville, FL$43,584
Salisbury, NC$43,575
Boise, ID$43,565
Moline, IL$43,542
Fort Myers, FL$43,528
Memphis, TN$43,519
Tulsa, OK$43,495
Waterloo, IA$43,468
Spartanburg, SC$43,421
Lincoln, NE$43,398
Fort Wayne, IN$43,389
Provo, UT$43,384
Cedar Falls, IA$43,328
San Antonio, TX$43,309
Greensboro, NC$43,291
South Bend, IN$43,286
Savannah, GA$43,235
Muskegon, MI$43,216
Birmingham, AL$43,212
Winston Salem, NC$43,189
Lake Charles, LA$43,077
Anderson, IN$43,068
Lexington, KY$43,054
Augusta, GA$43,040
Greenville, SC$43,040
Lima, OH$43,002
Wichita, KS$42,998
Tuscaloosa, AL$42,998
Columbia, SC$42,956
Springfield, OH$42,947
Asheville, NC$42,872
Bloomington, IN$42,840
Knoxville, TN$42,672
Shreveport, LA$42,668
Wilmington, NC$42,607
Roanoke, VA$42,607
Topeka, KS$42,523
Frankfort, KY$42,518
Oklahoma City, OK$42,486
Chillicothe, OH$42,468
Longview, TX$42,463
Melbourne, FL$42,458
Sioux Falls, SD$42,384
Mobile, AL$42,379
Terre Haute, IN$42,361
Altoona, PA$42,333
Amarillo, TX$42,300
Killeen, TX$42,286
Fayetteville, AR$42,249
Chattanooga, TN$42,235
Sioux City, IA$42,193
Idaho Falls, ID$42,184
Lynchburg, VA$42,147
Gainesville, FL$42,086
Portsmouth, OH$42,063
Little Rock, AR$42,054
Lafayette, LA$42,035
Youngstown, OH$42,035
Daytona Beach, FL$42,007
Clarksville, TN$42,003
Pensacola, FL$41,998
Temple, TX$41,995
Hopkinsville, KY$41,858
Erie, PA$41,849
Florence, SC$41,830
Charleston, WV$41,756
Great Falls, MT$41,733
Macon, GA$41,668
Tallahassee, FL$41,663
Fayetteville, NC$41,654
Waco, TX$41,644
Helena, MT$41,612
Pine Bluff, AR$41,594
Vincennes, IN$41,537
Lubbock, TX$41,519
Alamogordo, NM$41,491
Twin Falls, ID$41,449
Rapid City, SD$41,435
Jackson, MS$41,351
Huntington, WV$41,348
Greenville, MS$41,347
Parkersburg, WV$41,299
Montgomery, AL$41,291
Wichita Falls, TX$41,244
Springfield, MO$41,244
Biloxi, MS$41,221
Monroe, LA$41,175
Johnstown, PA$41,142
Sumter, SC$41,124
Columbus, GA$41,119
Pascagoula, MS$41,031
Abilene, TX$41,031
Kingsport, TN$40,910
Albany, GA$40,910
Gulfport, MS$40,896
Alexandria, LA$40,742
Fort Smith, AR$40,626
El Paso, TX$40,500
Las Cruces, NM$40,291
Harlingen, TX$40,173
Pocatello, ID$40,165
Florence, AL$40,105
Brownsville, TX$40,096
Mcallen, TX$39,998
Dothan, AL$39,933
Columbus, MS$39,657
Altus, OK$39,440
Lawton, OK$39,352
Pierre, SD$39,184
What Skills Can Increase an Ethanol Process Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 8.76% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Repairing (Mentioned in 2.51% Job Postings): To put something that is damaged, broken, or not working correctly, back into good condition or make it work again.
ISO (Mentioned in 1.94% Job Postings): The International Organization for Standardization is an international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Ethanol Process Operator's salary.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 32%.
Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Communicates Effectively: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Ethanol Process Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Ethanol Process Operator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Ethanol Process Operator positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Ethanol Process Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Ethanol Process Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology
$55,811
$27.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$55,811
$27.0
20%
Ethanol Process Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Ethanol Process 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$43,032
Average$46,509/year
$50,694
$3,586
Average$3,876/month
$4,225
$828
Average$894/week
$975
$21
Average$22/hour
$24
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$50,694
$4,225
$975
$24
Average
$46,509
$3,876
$894
$22
25th Percentile
$43,032
$3,586
$828
$21
Salaries of Jobs related to Ethanol Process Operator
Refinery Process Operator III$85,213
Refinery Process Operator$84,538
Refinery Process Operator II$70,880
Power Generation Process Operator I$69,800
Refinery Process Operator I$60,150
BioDiesel Process Operator$57,566
Chemical Process Operator$53,845
Chemical Process Equipment Operator$53,800
Ethanol Plant Operator$50,917
Process Operator$50,409
Process Plant Operator$49,375
Salary Trends for Ethanol Process Operator
Salaries for an Ethanol Process Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $49,831 in 2023
to around $49,432 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Ethanol Process Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Ethanol Process Operator Over Time
$???
$49,831
$49,838
$49,432
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$49,831
2024
$49,838
2025
$49,432
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Ethanol Process Operator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Ethanol Process Operator
Here are companies hiring for Ethanol Process Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Ethanol Process Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Ethanol Process Operator?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Ethanol Process Operator roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
