SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-8031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $39,110 | $3,259 | $752 | $18.80 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,040 | $4,003 | $924 | $23.10 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $60,020 | $5,002 | $1,154 | $28.86 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $74,780 | $6,232 | $1,438 | $35.95 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $91,060 | $7,588 | $1,751 | $43.78 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators is $60,020, which is 18% higher. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 17 by median pay. With 128,490 jobs, it makes up about 8.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($81,770), Nevada ($81,440) and Washington ($80,800). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($29,220), Arkansas ($44,320) and Kentucky ($45,430). The most jobs were in California (11,630), Texas (10,520) and Florida (7,440). The occupation is most concentrated in New Mexico, where its share of all jobs is 2.9 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 11,630 | $81,770 | $87,190 | $39.31 |
| Nevada | not published | $81,440 | $80,880 | $39.15 |
| Washington | 2,030 | $80,800 | $82,770 | $38.85 |
| Connecticut | 980 | $78,820 | $78,890 | $37.90 |
| New Jersey | 2,500 | $78,760 | $77,530 | $37.87 |
| Minnesota | 2,290 | $74,670 | $71,490 | $35.90 |
| Colorado | 2,620 | $74,200 | $72,670 | $35.68 |
| Oregon | 1,240 | $69,720 | $70,620 | $33.52 |
| Massachusetts | 2,510 | $68,550 | $69,900 | $32.96 |
| Illinois | 3,500 | $67,810 | $71,820 | $32.60 |
| Hawaii | 610 | $65,560 | $64,550 | $31.52 |
| Delaware | 340 | $64,940 | $66,310 | $31.22 |
| New York | 5,300 | $63,990 | $69,680 | $30.76 |
| Vermont | 320 | $63,640 | $67,130 | $30.60 |
| Wisconsin | 2,230 | $63,550 | $64,070 | $30.56 |
| Pennsylvania | 4,660 | $63,310 | $64,020 | $30.44 |
| Wyoming | 500 | $63,260 | $71,550 | $30.41 |
| New Hampshire | 510 | $62,940 | $64,810 | $30.26 |
| Maine | 710 | $61,870 | $65,010 | $29.74 |
| Maryland | 1,770 | $61,870 | $64,570 | $29.75 |
| Rhode Island | 420 | $61,820 | $64,260 | $29.72 |
| Arizona | 3,950 | $61,340 | $61,160 | $29.49 |
| Utah | 1,900 | $61,290 | $61,930 | $29.47 |
| Nebraska | 740 | $61,220 | $60,380 | $29.43 |
| Iowa | 2,370 | $60,990 | $60,790 | $29.32 |
| North Dakota | 550 | $60,470 | $62,080 | $29.07 |
| Alaska | 750 | $60,160 | $68,600 | $28.92 |
| Virginia | 3,460 | $59,420 | $60,500 | $28.57 |
| Michigan | 3,400 | $59,270 | $60,080 | $28.49 |
| Ohio | 5,870 | $59,170 | $58,990 | $28.45 |
| Florida | 7,440 | $59,030 | $61,180 | $28.38 |
| Montana | 690 | $58,040 | $61,570 | $27.90 |
| Indiana | 3,140 | $53,540 | $56,680 | $25.74 |
| South Dakota | 1,060 | $53,370 | $55,750 | $25.66 |
| Idaho | 1,480 | $52,210 | $55,060 | $25.10 |
| South Carolina | 2,650 | $52,090 | $55,910 | $25.05 |
| Alabama | 2,770 | $51,870 | $55,300 | $24.94 |
| North Carolina | 3,620 | $51,680 | $54,620 | $24.85 |
| Tennessee | 3,140 | $50,670 | $53,790 | $24.36 |
| Missouri | 3,000 | $49,940 | $53,190 | $24.01 |
| Texas | 10,520 | $49,460 | $51,920 | $23.78 |
| Georgia | 3,310 | $48,930 | $51,630 | $23.52 |
| New Mexico | 2,110 | $48,190 | $53,870 | $23.17 |
| Virgin Islands | 30 | $48,030 | $55,840 | $23.09 |
| West Virginia | 1,100 | $47,560 | $50,590 | $22.87 |
| Kansas | 1,560 | $46,780 | $49,290 | $22.49 |
| Mississippi | 1,150 | $46,480 | $49,060 | $22.34 |
| Louisiana | 2,450 | $46,210 | $48,160 | $22.22 |
| Oklahoma | 2,280 | $45,890 | $47,350 | $22.06 |
| Kentucky | 2,540 | $45,430 | $47,770 | $21.84 |
| Arkansas | 2,010 | $44,320 | $45,590 | $21.31 |
| Puerto Rico | 1,030 | $29,220 | $29,580 | $14.05 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers$62,750 a year
- Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters$62,620 a year
- Plant and System Operators, All Other$62,470 a year
- Machinists$58,750 a year
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$58,040 a year
- Patternmakers, Metal and Plastic$58,000 a year
Common questions
How much do Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators earn in the United States?
The median pay was $60,020 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,110 and the highest-paid 10% more than $91,060.
How many people work as Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators?
About 128,490 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.