Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator Salary
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators earn a median $60,020 a year nationally. Production Occupations
U.S. median
$60,020
$28.86 per hour
Range
$39,110 – $91,060
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
128,490
across the U.S.
▲3.0%
Pay trend: The median for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in the U.S. rose from $58,260 (May 2024) to $60,020 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 0.6%.
What water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators do
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -5.7% (declining)
- Openings per year
- 10,000
Employment of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is projected to shrink 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 10,000 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$50,406
per year · effective tax rate 16.0%
$4,201Monthly
$2,100Twice a month
$1,939Every 2 weeks
$24.23Hourly
- Federal income tax$5,022
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,721
- Medicare (1.45%)$870
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$50,406
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,110 | $18.80 | $33,605 |
| 25th percentile | $48,040 | $23.10 | $40,780 |
| Median (50th) | $60,020 | $28.86 | $50,406 |
| 75th percentile | $74,780 | $35.95 | $61,438 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $91,060 | $43.78 | $72,891 |
Best cities for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $83,320 | $63,543 | $56,451 | 3,690 |
| 2 | Phoenix, AZ | $63,660 | $51,948 | $50,281 | 2,570 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- New York, NY — $83,320
- Phoenix, AZ — $63,660
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $81,770 | −0.4% | $61,917 | $56,030 – $123,380 | 11,630 |
| Nevada | $81,440 | +2.9% | $66,123 | $56,110 – $101,820 | — |
| Washington | $80,800 | +2.5% | $65,673 | $57,720 – $106,270 | 2,030 |
| Connecticut | $78,820 | +5.9% | $61,520 | $60,900 – $98,850 | 980 |
| New Jersey | $78,760 | +4.7% | $61,411 | $51,050 – $99,240 | 2,500 |
| Minnesota | $74,670 | +6.0% | $57,806 | $52,130 – $87,250 | 2,290 |
| Colorado | $74,200 | +8.8% | $58,473 | $50,130 – $95,730 | 2,620 |
| Oregon | $69,720 | +8.1% | $52,607 | $50,270 – $87,880 | 1,240 |
| Massachusetts | $68,550 | +4.5% | $53,847 | $50,980 – $91,390 | 2,510 |
| Illinois | $67,810 | +6.3% | $53,323 | $42,240 – $103,690 | 3,500 |
| Hawaii | $65,560 | −0.4% | $51,405 | $46,900 – $82,680 | 610 |
| Delaware | $64,940 | +8.3% | $51,414 | $48,160 – $84,360 | 340 |
| New York | $63,990 | +1.3% | $50,738 | $48,350 – $102,260 | 5,300 |
| Vermont | $63,640 | +3.4% | $51,575 | $50,820 – $81,100 | 320 |
| Wisconsin | $63,550 | +1.9% | $51,227 | $50,340 – $78,790 | 2,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,310 | +7.0% | $51,106 | $45,670 – $80,480 | 4,660 |
| Wyoming | $63,260 | +4.4% | $53,009 | $46,960 – $107,370 | 500 |
| New Hampshire | $62,940 | −5.0% | $52,752 | $49,170 – $81,290 | 510 |
| Maine | $61,870 | +1.5% | $48,898 | $49,220 – $84,730 | 710 |
| Maryland | $61,870 | +5.3% | $49,317 | $44,990 – $88,970 | 1,770 |
| Rhode Island | $61,820 | +8.3% | $50,151 | $49,150 – $84,640 | 420 |
| Arizona | $61,340 | −0.2% | $50,142 | $46,690 – $80,040 | 3,950 |
| Utah | $61,290 | +3.7% | $49,634 | $45,710 – $79,860 | 1,900 |
| Nebraska | $61,220 | +6.2% | $49,464 | $44,620 – $76,250 | 740 |
| Iowa | $60,990 | +2.7% | $49,520 | $46,880 – $76,040 | 2,370 |
| North Dakota | $60,470 | +3.8% | $50,768 | $47,250 – $78,940 | 550 |
| Alaska | $60,160 | −21.8% | $50,519 | $35,200 – $99,840 | 750 |
| Virginia | $59,420 | +0.8% | $47,321 | $38,590 – $79,470 | 3,460 |
| Michigan | $59,270 | +1.4% | $47,535 | $46,710 – $75,910 | 3,400 |
| Ohio | $59,170 | +0.8% | $48,878 | $45,350 – $75,200 | 5,870 |
| Florida | $59,030 | +0.7% | $49,611 | $39,630 – $84,280 | 7,440 |
| Montana | $58,040 | −3.2% | $46,844 | $37,320 – $81,420 | 690 |
| Indiana | $53,540 | −3.0% | $43,649 | $40,590 – $75,290 | 3,140 |
| South Dakota | $53,370 | −1.3% | $45,063 | $43,890 – $73,170 | 1,060 |
| Idaho | $52,210 | −2.0% | $42,472 | $40,820 – $74,950 | 1,480 |
| South Carolina | $52,090 | +5.3% | $42,066 | $39,060 – $76,850 | 2,650 |
| Alabama | $51,870 | +6.4% | $41,529 | $35,100 – $79,950 | 2,770 |
| North Carolina | $51,680 | +4.0% | $42,152 | $37,860 – $75,600 | 3,620 |
| Tennessee | $50,670 | −0.2% | $42,893 | $35,430 – $75,540 | 3,140 |
| Missouri | $49,940 | −5.8% | $40,897 | $38,600 – $64,930 | 3,000 |
| Texas | $49,460 | +2.8% | $41,921 | $36,550 – $70,270 | 10,520 |
| Georgia | $48,930 | −0.9% | $39,579 | $36,970 – $67,520 | 3,310 |
| New Mexico | $48,190 | +3.2% | $39,796 | $36,110 – $80,090 | 2,110 |
| West Virginia | $47,560 | +8.2% | $38,982 | $35,360 – $75,240 | 1,100 |
| Kansas | $46,780 | −2.4% | $37,957 | $35,870 – $66,800 | 1,560 |
| Mississippi | $46,480 | +3.4% | $38,399 | $35,230 – $64,130 | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $46,210 | +19.4% | $38,310 | $31,440 – $63,870 | 2,450 |
| Oklahoma | $45,890 | +10.9% | $37,533 | $35,250 – $63,040 | 2,280 |
| Kentucky | $45,430 | −4.8% | $37,211 | $33,210 – $63,740 | 2,540 |
| Arkansas | $44,320 | +15.7% | $36,275 | $31,480 – $61,780 | 2,010 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant and System Operators, All Other | $62,470 | High school diploma or equivalent | +2.3% |
| Chemical Plant and System Operator | $78,120 | High school diploma or equivalent | -5.2% |
| Stationary Engineer and Boiler Operator | $78,620 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.1% |
| Gas Plant Operator | $87,820 | High school diploma or equivalent | -6.0% |
| Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | $96,710 | High school diploma or equivalent | -1.9% |
| Power Plant Operator | $102,040 | High school diploma or equivalent | -5.1% |
| Power Distributor and Dispatcher | $106,730 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.2% |
| Nuclear Power Reactor Operator | $122,890 | High school diploma or equivalent | -5.9% |
| Machinist | $58,750 | High school diploma or equivalent | +1.0% |
| Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender | $58,040 | High school diploma or equivalent | +3.6% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator make?
The national median salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is $60,020 a year ($28.86 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $39,110 and the top 10% earn over $91,060. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators the most?
California has the highest median pay at $81,770. After taxes and local prices, New York, NY offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators are there in the U.S.?
About 128,490 people work as water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators nationwide.