Pilot Plant Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Pilot Plant Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Pilot Plant Operator in the United States is $80,731 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

However, a Pilot Plant Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,702
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $75,160 to $91,184
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $70,088
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Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $75,160 10% $70,088 90% $100,702 75% $91,184 $80,731 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Pilot Plant Operator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $91,184 $7,599 $1,754 $44
Average $80,731 $6,728 $1,553 $39
25th Percentile $75,160 $6,263 $1,445 $36
Check out Pilot Plant Operator Job Openings in the United States
Plant Operator

BP Energy - UNION CITY, TN

Plant Operator

BP Energy - ROCHELLE, IL

Plant Operator

BP Energy - PROVIDENCE FORGE, VA

Junior Operator Plant Operator

Fairfax Water - LORTON, VA

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Key Factors That Influence Pilot Plant Operator Salaries

A Pilot Plant 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 Pilot Plant Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Pilot Plant 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:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $79,415
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $80,344
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,068
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $86,845
  • Expert (over 8 years): $87,192
Levels Salary
Entry Level Pilot Plant Operator$79,415
Intermediate Level Pilot Plant Operator$80,344
Senior Level Pilot Plant Operator$84,068
Specialist Level Pilot Plant Operator$86,845
Expert Level Pilot Plant Operator$87,192
$79,415 0 yr
$80,344 < 2 yrs
$84,068 2-4 yrs
$86,845 5-8 yrs
$87,192 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Pilot Plant 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 Pilot Plant Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $89,385.
  • California: $89,046.
  • Massachusetts: $87,859.

Top Paying Cities for Pilot Plant 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: $101,825
  • San Francisco: $100,824
  • Oakland: $98,588

What Skills Can Increase a Pilot Plant Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.86% 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.
  • Healthcare Facilities Management (Mentioned in 5.23% Job Postings): Developing and implementing facility plans and processes while coordinating assets, resources, and people to ensure excellent healthcare services.
  • Control Structure (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): Control Structures are the blocks that analyze variables and choose directions in which to go based on given parameters.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 4.86%
Healthcare Facilities Management 5.23%
Control Structure 4.05%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
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 a Pilot Plant Operator's salary.
  • Team Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Mechanical Systems: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • HVAC: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Team Operations
 $85,574
6%
Mechanical Systems
 $83,960
4%
HVAC
 $83,960
4%
Collaboration
 $83,960
4%
Leadership
 $83,152
3%
Standard Operating Procedures
 $82,345
2%
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Pilot Plant Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Pilot Plant 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 January 01, 2026
$75,160
Average $80,731/year
$91,184
$6,263
Average $6,728/month
$7,599
$1,445
Average $1,553/week
$1,754
$36
Average $39/hour
$44
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $91,184 $7,599 $1,754 $44
Average $80,731 $6,728 $1,553 $39
25th Percentile $75,160 $6,263 $1,445 $36

Salaries of jobs related to Pilot Plant Operator

Salary Trends for Pilot Plant Operator

Salaries for a Pilot Plant Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $73,329 in 2023 to around $72,524 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Pilot Plant Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Pilot Plant Operator Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$73,329
2024
$73,154
2025
$72,524
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $73,329
2024 $73,154
2025 $72,524
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Pilot Plant Operator

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401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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