---
title: "Refinery & Process Operator Programs in Sacramento, CA"
canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/california/sacramento/
description: "3 listed process operator programs in Sacramento, CA. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA BLS average pay $89,940 (all experience levels), median $85,220."
updated: 2026-11-03
wage_source: "BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15"
---

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5. Sacramento
 Sacramento, CA

# Refinery & Process Operator programs in *Sacramento*

3 listed programs in Sacramento, with local metro pay data from BLS.

- **$89,940** Average pay (metro, all experience levels)
- **$60,460** Entry-level / bottom 10%
- **$85,220** Median pay (metro)
- **$114,200** Top 10% earn over

3 listed programs in Sacramento · 15 in California. Average = BLS mean across all experience levels, not starting pay. Pay: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

Programs

## Listed programs in Sacramento

| Program / provider | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Sacramento City College](https://www.scc.losrios.edu/) Chemical Technology/Technician | Certificate (1-2 years) | 27 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 41.0301 |
| [Sacramento City College](https://www.scc.losrios.edu/) Chemical Technology/Technician | Associate degree | 2 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 41.0301 |
| [Sacramento City College](https://www.scc.losrios.edu/) Chemical Technology/Technician | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 21 | $1,288–$12,472 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 41.0301 |
Schools: NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code; “Graduates 2023-24” is the number of first-major certificates or associate degrees the school awarded in that program from July 2023 to June 2024 (IPEDS). Tuition: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (updated 2026-10-15), matched by IPEDS unit ID; it is the published figure, not a quote. Apprenticeship sponsors: DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file (retrieved 2026-10-29); apprenticeships are typically paid, so no tuition is listed — contact the program.

BLS wage data

## Refinery & Process Operator pay near Sacramento

Metro-area wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $60,460 | $72,820 | $85,220 | $100,660 | $114,200 | $89,940 | 30 |
| California | $72,930 | $96,810 | $103,250 | $119,200 | $128,840 | $104,560 | 3,360 |
| United States | $57,110 | $77,510 | $96,710 | $106,320 | $115,880 | $90,630 | 33,160 |
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.

[All process operator programs in California →](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/california/)

Related resources

## Keep researching

[**Registered apprenticeships in California** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/ca/) [**Trade schools approved for the GI Bill** Search programs that accept VA education benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.com](https://veterantradeschools.com/)

## Sources

- **Wages:** U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 ([news release USDL-26-0725](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm); [data tables](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm)). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- **Occupation:** O\*NET OnLine, [51-8093.00 Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-8093.00), retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- **Apprenticeship sponsors:** U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 ([Partner Finder](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/partner-finder)).
- **Schools & graduates:** U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024\_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code ([completions file](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/data/C2024_A.zip); [CIP-SOC crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Files/CIP2020_SOC2018_Crosswalk.xlsx)).
- **Tuition:** U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID ([source](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/)).

Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.

---
Canonical HTML: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/process-operator/california/sacramento/
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). Programs: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions; DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Tuition: College Scorecard.