Average Salary for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
SOC 51-8031 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in the United States is $58,260 ($28.01/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $37,870 at the 10th percentile to $86,160 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 126,750 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 32.1% since 2014.
Median Annual
$58,260
Mean Annual
$60,620
10th Pct
$37,870
75th Pct
$71,280
Employment
126,750
Salary Distribution
$38k
10th
$47k
25th
$58k
Median
$71k
75th
$86k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $123,390 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $106,440 |
| Vallejo, CA | $101,670 |
| Napa, CA | $99,450 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $91,010 |
| Salinas, CA | $90,610 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $88,440 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $85,790 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $85,000 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $84,960 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $83,830 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $83,630 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $83,260 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $82,830 |
| Modesto, CA | $82,790 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| California | $82,100 |
| Nevada | $79,140 |
| Washington | $78,810 |
| Alaska | $76,910 |
| New Jersey | $75,200 |
| Connecticut | $74,450 |
| Minnesota | $70,470 |
| Colorado | $68,220 |
| New Hampshire | $66,240 |
| Hawaii | $65,800 |
| Massachusetts | $65,620 |
| Oregon | $64,500 |
| Illinois | $63,790 |
| New York | $63,140 |
| Wisconsin | $62,360 |
| Vermont | $61,530 |
| Arizona | $61,480 |
| Maine | $60,960 |
| Wyoming | $60,580 |
| Delaware | $59,960 |
| Montana | $59,960 |
| Iowa | $59,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,170 |
| Utah | $59,120 |
| Virginia | $58,920 |
| Maryland | $58,740 |
| Ohio | $58,720 |
| Florida | $58,630 |
| Michigan | $58,470 |
| North Dakota | $58,250 |
| Nebraska | $57,640 |
| Rhode Island | $57,060 |
| Indiana | $55,170 |
| South Dakota | $54,090 |
| Idaho | $53,250 |
| Missouri | $52,990 |
| Tennessee | $50,760 |
| North Carolina | $49,710 |
| South Carolina | $49,480 |
| Georgia | $49,370 |
| Alabama | $48,730 |
| Texas | $48,110 |
| Kansas | $47,950 |
| Kentucky | $47,700 |
| New Mexico | $46,680 |
| Mississippi | $44,970 |
| West Virginia | $43,960 |
| Guam | $43,600 |
| Oklahoma | $41,380 |
| Louisiana | $38,690 |
| Arkansas | $38,310 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,700 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Hydroelectric Power Generation | $107,310 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $104,910 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $98,970 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $87,170 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $83,410 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $83,410 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $82,230 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing | $81,470 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $78,620 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $78,240 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | $77,810 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $76,930 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $76,910 |
| Construction of Buildings | $76,480 |
| Hospitals | $76,440 |
| Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $76,370 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $76,100 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $75,780 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | $75,150 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $72,580 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $72,580 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $72,580 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $72,530 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $71,970 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $71,450 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $71,450 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $70,830 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $70,610 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $68,810 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $68,180 |
| Accommodation | $68,100 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $68,100 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $65,910 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $65,840 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | $64,800 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $64,420 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | $63,850 |
| Paper Manufacturing | $63,850 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $63,790 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $63,320 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $62,920 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $62,920 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $62,920 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $62,770 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $62,490 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $62,460 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $62,460 |
| Construction | $61,580 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $61,100 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | $60,530 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | $60,440 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | $59,730 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools | $59,170 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $58,850 |
| Educational Services | $58,780 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $58,710 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $58,630 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $58,630 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $58,630 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | $58,610 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $58,540 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $58,470 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $58,470 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $58,050 |
| Engineering Services | $57,930 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $57,860 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $57,860 |
| Utilities | $57,820 |
| Utilities | $57,820 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $57,770 |
| Facilities Support Services | $57,660 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $57,270 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | $57,260 |
| Educational Services | $57,120 |
| Manufacturing | $56,900 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $55,580 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $55,320 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $55,200 |
| Solar Electric Power Generation | $55,130 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $54,700 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $54,560 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $54,550 |
| Coal Mining | $54,510 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $54,410 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $54,410 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $54,100 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | $53,920 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $53,920 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $53,260 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $53,160 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $53,160 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | $52,880 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | $52,830 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $52,820 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $52,820 |
| Food Manufacturing | $52,630 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $52,560 |
| Utility System Construction | $52,540 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $51,580 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $51,370 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $51,260 |
| Wholesale Trade | $50,940 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $49,690 |
| Foundries | $49,650 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $48,690 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | $48,640 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $48,620 |
| Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging | $48,400 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $48,240 |
| Temporary Help Services | $47,830 |
| Employment Services | $47,740 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | $46,300 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $45,850 |
| Gambling Industries | $45,500 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $45,190 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $45,190 |
| Drycleaning and Laundry Services | $43,960 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $43,960 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $43,410 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $43,410 |
| Other Support Services | $41,000 |
| Waste Collection | $40,850 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $38,810 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $36,170 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $58,260 |
| 2023 | $54,890 |
| 2022 | $51,600 |
| 2021 | $47,880 |
| 2020 | $49,090 |
| 2019 | $47,760 |
| 2018 | $46,780 |
| 2017 | $46,150 |
| 2016 | $45,760 |
| 2015 | $44,790 |
| 2014 | $44,100 |