SOC 518031

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

National Median

$58,260

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$58,260

Entry Level (10th pct)

$37,870

Experienced (90th pct)

$86,160

Total Employed

126,750

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience LevelEstimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience$37,870 - $47,020
Mid Career2-8 years experience$47,020 - $71,280
Senior / Expert8+ years experience$71,280 - $86,160

Highest Paying Locations for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan AreaMedian SalaryEmployed
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$123,3901,160
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$106,440400
Vallejo, CA$101,670190
Napa, CA$99,45090
Fairbanks-College, AK$91,01040
Salinas, CA$90,610140
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$88,440730
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$85,79090
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$85,00070
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$84,960890
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$83,830410
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$83,630220
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA$83,260260
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$82,8303,310
Modesto, CA$82,790220
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$82,5001,580
California$82,10011,260
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$81,73080
Yuba City, CA$80,81090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$80,6902,070
Bloomington, IL$80,60070
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA$80,480180
Stockton-Lodi, CA$79,830240
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$79,640450
Rockford, IL$79,41080
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$79,390900
Nevada$79,140N/A
Washington$78,8101,950
Bellingham, WA$78,690100
Merced, CA$78,32090
Anchorage, AK$78,210150
Kennewick-Richland, WA$78,02090
Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT$77,80090
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$77,750130
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA$77,66050
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$77,310120
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$77,1901,970
Alaska$76,910570
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$76,640280
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$76,62090
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA$76,240300
Reno, NV$76,010150
El Centro, CA$75,790100
New Haven, CT$75,440110
Rochester, MN$75,40090
Chico, CA$75,280110
New Jersey$75,2002,040
Redding, CA$75,110130
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$74,990910
Vineland, NJ$74,94080

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators?
The national median annual salary for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators is $58,260, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.
Where do Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operatorss earn the most?
The highest-paying metro area for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operatorss is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, with a median salary of $123,390.
How much can an experienced Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators make?
Top-earning Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operatorss (90th percentile) make $86,160 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.