JobAfterNext

Biofuels Processing Technicians

Calculate, measure, load, mix, and process refined feedstock with additives in fermentation or reaction process vessels and monitor production process. Perform, and keep records of, plant maintenance, repairs, and safety inspections.

Wages

BLS doesn't publish wages for Biofuels Processing Technicians separately. These are the figures for Plant and System Operators, All Other (51-8099), its parent occupation.

Median annual wage, U.S.$62,470
Employment, U.S.14,080
Median hourly wage$30.03
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$40,700$48,900$62,470$78,480$94,560
By state (44)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama30$51,6900.18
Arizona150$69,2600.50
Arkansas120$46,0201.04
California1,560$78,0200.94
Colorado1,050$51,6004.02
Connecticut100$68,9500.65
Florida590$50,9100.66
Georgia240$44,6700.54
Idaho40$61,6900.54
Illinois230$77,7800.41
Indiana280$70,4900.96
Iowa50$75,8000.34
Kansas60$74,1900.46
Kentucky30$69,4300.18
Louisiana350$62,6302.02
Maine110$62,2701.81
Maryland270$81,8901.08
Massachusetts40$120,6600.13
Michigan250$64,6900.62
Minnesota200$88,2900.74
Mississippi140$65,0801.35
Missouri380$51,5601.44
Montana170$81,3403.70
Nebraska70$48,2200.70
Nevada150$80,0001.09
New Hampshire120$64,0301.97
New Jersey290$69,9700.74
New Mexico120$55,7101.50
New York310$74,7000.35
North Carolina220$61,1900.48
Ohio340$64,1400.68
Oklahoma80$74,2400.55
Oregon140$71,9000.77
Pennsylvania620$50,8401.13
South Carolina150$56,0600.71
South Dakota190$57,4304.48
Tennessee150$60,2400.51
Texas3,570$50,8202.80
Utah180$67,9101.12
Virginia180$61,9400.48
Washington190$88,7300.60
West Virginia120$70,6601.95
Wisconsin160$62,8000.60
Wyoming90$66,7703.40

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Biomass Plant Technicians1-20.979
2Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers1-20.974
3Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers1-20.973
4Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders1-20.972
5Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators30.969
6Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders1-20.967
7Chemical Plant and System Operators1-20.965
8Power Plant Operators1-20.964
9Gas Plant Operators1-20.964
10Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers1-20.960

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Biofuels Processing Technicians, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersOperations Monitoring0.870.973
Geothermal TechniciansInstallation2.240.956

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Biofuels Processing Technicians, excluding software Biofuels Processing Technicians already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Operational databases5 of 2019.2x
Distributed control system DCS4 of 2018.5x
SAP software14 of 202.3x
Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software4 of 203.0x
Microsoft Outlook16 of 201.2x
Microsoft Office software19 of 201.1x
Email software7 of 201.2x
Microsoft PowerPoint9 of 200.7x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.88 3.75
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 3.75 3.50
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 3.50 3.75
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 3.38 3.38
MonitoringEssential skill 3.38 3.25
SpeakingEssential skill 3.25 3.50
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.25 3.38
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 3.25 3.38
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.12 3.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.12 3.12
WritingEssential skill 3.12 3.00
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 3.00 3.25
RepairingTransferable skill 3.00 3.12
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Service OrientationTransferable skill 3.00 2.75
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.88 3.25
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
MathematicsEssential skill 2.88 2.88
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Active LearningEssential skill 2.88 2.75
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.88 2.75
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.88 2.62
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.88 2.50
ScienceEssential skill 2.88 2.50
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.50 2.75
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.50 2.38
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.50 2.25
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.25 2.00
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.38
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.62 1.00
InstallationTransferable skill 1.50 0.88
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.50 0.75
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.12not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Production and Processing 3.96 4.15
Mechanical 3.53 4.37
English Language 3.42 3.17
Public Safety and Security 3.39 3.18
Chemistry 3.21 4.29
Computers and Electronics 3.18 3.53
Education and Training 2.85 2.93
Engineering and Technology 2.78 3.38
Mathematics 2.78 3.11
Transportation 2.70 2.78
Physics 2.68 3.15
Building and Construction 2.49 2.92
Administration and Management 2.47 2.35
Administrative 2.45 2.10
Biology 2.42 2.10
Customer and Personal Service 2.39 2.16
Law and Government 2.24 2.00
Design 2.20 2.20
Telecommunications 2.17 1.44
Communications and Media 2.16 1.73
Personnel and Human Resources 2.14 1.34
Food Production 2.04 1.48
Sales and Marketing 1.78 1.03
Economics and Accounting 1.67 0.95
Psychology 1.64 1.10
Geography 1.57 1.08
Medicine and Dentistry 1.47 0.77
Therapy and Counseling 1.35not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.31not rated
Foreign Language 1.21not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.14not rated
History and Archeology 1.12not rated
Fine Arts 1.05not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Written Comprehension 3.50 3.75
Control Precision 3.50 3.62
Oral Comprehension 3.50 3.62
Oral Expression 3.50 3.62
Speech Recognition 3.50 3.38
Near Vision 3.38 3.75
Perceptual Speed 3.38 3.75
Selective Attention 3.38 3.62
Information Ordering 3.38 3.38
Problem Sensitivity 3.38 3.38
Reaction Time 3.38 3.38
Visual Color Discrimination 3.38 3.38
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.38 3.25
Manual Dexterity 3.38 3.25
Deductive Reasoning 3.38 3.12
Inductive Reasoning 3.38 3.12
Speech Clarity 3.38 3.12
Multilimb Coordination 3.25 3.38
Finger Dexterity 3.25 3.25
Written Expression 3.25 3.12
Category Flexibility 3.12 3.50
Flexibility of Closure 3.12 3.25
Rate Control 3.12 3.25
Auditory Attention 3.12 3.12
Time Sharing 3.12 2.88
Far Vision 3.00 3.25
Visualization 3.00 3.12
Extent Flexibility 3.00 2.88
Hearing Sensitivity 3.00 2.88
Trunk Strength 3.00 2.88
Number Facility 2.75 3.00
Fluency of Ideas 2.75 2.88
Mathematical Reasoning 2.75 2.88
Explosive Strength 2.75 2.62
Response Orientation 2.75 2.62
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.75 2.38
Static Strength 2.62 2.88
Depth Perception 2.62 2.75
Dynamic Strength 2.62 2.75
Speed of Closure 2.62 2.62
Gross Body Coordination 2.62 2.50
Memorization 2.50 3.00
Originality 2.50 2.75
Sound Localization 2.50 2.25
Stamina 2.38 2.38
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.38 2.25
Spatial Orientation 2.38 2.12
Glare Sensitivity 2.25 2.12
Peripheral Vision 2.12 1.75
Night Vision 1.88 1.50
Dynamic Flexibility 1.50not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

BLS doesn't publish wages for Biofuels Processing Technicians separately. These are the figures for Plant and System Operators, All Other (51-8099), its parent occupation.

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Greeley, CO11010.56$46,860
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO4803.31$48,550
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX1,0102.75$50,720
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX7802.63$53,200
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX2302.22$51,210
Pittsburgh, PA2102.04$50,840
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX2101.78$55,790
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA2701.71$80,430
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV3801.32$83,760
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA1501.11$77,330

More metros, other thresholds