Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (SOC 47-4071) earn a median $49,880 a year ($23.98 an hour) in the United States, with 30,650 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nebraska.
What septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners do
Septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines and drains, and may patch the walls and partitions of a tank, replace damaged drain tile or mend breaks in underground piping. A typical call starts with inspecting manholes to locate a sewer line stoppage, which is then cleared with sewer cleaning equipment such as power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines and vac-alls. They also clean and repair related structures such as manholes, culverts and catch basins. Excavation sites are measured, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines or the lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and the areas for digging are marked. Workers drive trucks to carry crews, materials and equipment, communicate with supervisors and coworkers by radio or phone, service and make minor repairs to their equipment, and prepare and keep records of the maintenance and repair work they did. Plumbers (47-2152) are classified separately.
Typical entry: Most workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or equivalent as their level of education, according to O*NET.
Also called: Aseptic Tech (Aseptic Technician), Drain and Sewer Technician, Drain Cleaner, Drain Technician, Electric Sewer Cleaning Machine Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.81 | $20.93 | $23.98 | $29.36 | $35.33 | $25.72 | 30,650 |
| Annual | $37,040 | $43,530 | $49,880 | $61,060 | $73,490 | $53,500 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $20.29 | $21.27 | $32.16 | $34.41 | $34.41 | $28.03 | 300 | 0.29 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $42,210 | $44,230 | $66,890 | $71,570 | $71,570 | $58,300 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.02 | $28.30 | $31.08 | $37.66 | $43.37 | $33.41 | 220 | 0.05 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $49,970 | $58,870 | $64,650 | $78,330 | $90,210 | $69,490 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $22.46 | $26.66 | $31.05 | $36.97 | $39.50 | $31.38 | 310 | 0.45 | 2.30 |
| Annual | $46,710 | $55,460 | $64,590 | $76,910 | $82,160 | $65,270 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.45 | $27.29 | $30.33 | $36.38 | $40.30 | $31.67 | 1,600 | 0.45 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $46,690 | $56,770 | $63,090 | $75,670 | $83,830 | $65,880 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $21.41 | $28.85 | $29.90 | $33.85 | $36.63 | $29.81 | 240 | 0.08 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $44,520 | $60,010 | $62,190 | $70,400 | $76,190 | $62,010 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.18 | $22.49 | $26.55 | $29.79 | $38.11 | $27.70 | 3,130 | 0.17 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $39,890 | $46,780 | $55,220 | $61,950 | $79,260 | $57,610 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.67 | $17.93 | $21.09 | $24.36 | $30.95 | $22.64 | 2,430 | 0.17 | 0.87 |
| Annual | $34,670 | $37,300 | $43,860 | $50,680 | $64,380 | $47,090 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $22.45 | $27.29 | $30.33 | $36.38 | $40.30 | $31.67 | 1,600 | 0.45 | 2.28 |
| Annual | $46,690 | $56,770 | $63,090 | $75,670 | $83,830 | $65,880 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.52 | $21.99 | $26.55 | $29.93 | $35.92 | $26.94 | 1,550 | 0.16 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $38,520 | $45,740 | $55,220 | $62,240 | $74,720 | $56,030 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.43 | $22.31 | $25.04 | $29.88 | $35.59 | $26.80 | 1,530 | 0.25 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $38,320 | $46,400 | $52,070 | $62,140 | $74,030 | $55,730 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Rockford, IL | Hourly | $18.57 | $21.77 | $36.06 | $36.68 | $44.02 | $31.06 | 50 | 0.35 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $38,630 | $45,270 | $75,010 | $76,290 | $91,560 | $64,610 | ||||
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | Hourly | $21.09 | $27.64 | $35.84 | $38.81 | $38.81 | $33.39 | 40 | 0.72 | 3.66 |
| Annual | $43,860 | $57,500 | $74,550 | $80,720 | $80,720 | $69,450 | ||||
| Omaha, NE-IA | Hourly | $20.55 | $22.01 | $34.41 | $34.41 | $34.41 | $29.35 | 180 | 0.35 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $42,750 | $45,790 | $71,570 | $71,570 | $71,570 | $61,050 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $24.98 | $31.08 | $33.78 | $36.63 | $36.73 | $32.76 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $51,960 | $64,640 | $70,270 | $76,190 | $76,400 | $68,140 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $23.41 | $28.34 | $33.17 | $38.85 | $49.89 | $36.01 | 350 | 0.15 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $48,700 | $58,940 | $68,990 | $80,800 | $103,770 | $74,910 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.52 | $23.31 | $27.53 | $34.17 | $39.77 | $29.21 | 860 | 0.09 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $38,520 | $48,490 | $57,260 | $71,070 | $82,720 | $60,750 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $23.94 | $28.60 | $30.86 | $36.61 | $40.49 | $33.01 | 830 | 0.40 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $49,790 | $59,490 | $64,180 | $76,140 | $84,220 | $68,670 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $17.01 | $21.18 | $25.10 | $30.91 | $38.82 | $26.73 | 820 | 0.18 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $35,380 | $44,060 | $52,210 | $64,290 | $80,740 | $55,600 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.69 | $22.81 | $26.64 | $29.68 | $36.69 | $27.37 | 600 | 0.10 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $40,950 | $47,440 | $55,420 | $61,730 | $76,300 | $56,930 | ||||
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | Hourly | $19.66 | $22.89 | $24.64 | $27.93 | $30.93 | $24.95 | 530 | 0.28 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $40,900 | $47,610 | $51,250 | $58,080 | $64,340 | $51,900 | ||||
Top industries employing septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services employ 55.9% of septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners nationally (17,120 jobs) at a median $48,200 a year ($23.18 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (21.7%) and Other Specialty Trade Contractors (6.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services NAICS 562900 | 17,120 | 55.9% | $48,200 | $23.18 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 6,660 | 21.7% | $55,860 | $26.86 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 1,860 | 6.1% | $53,440 | $25.69 |
| Building Equipment Contractors NAICS 238200 | 1,680 | 5.5% | $51,570 | $24.79 |
| Utility System Construction NAICS 237100 | 950 | 3.1% | $59,980 | $28.84 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (30,650). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $44,810 for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in May 2021 and $49,880 in May 2025, with employment of 28,620 and 30,650.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $44,810 | $21.54 | 28,620 |
| May 2022 | $45,610 | $21.93 | 27,660 |
| May 2023 | $46,910 | $22.56 | 27,900 |
| May 2024 | $49,140 | $23.62 | 29,050 |
| May 2025 | $49,880 | $23.98 | 30,650 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
49 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska profile | $32.16 | $66,890 | $42,210 | $71,570 | 300 | 0.29 | 1.48 |
| 2 | New Jersey profile | $31.08 | $64,650 | $49,970 | $90,210 | 220 | 0.05 | 0.26 |
| 3 | New Hampshire profile | $31.05 | $64,590 | $46,710 | $82,160 | 310 | 0.45 | 2.30 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $30.33 | $63,090 | $46,690 | $83,830 | 1,600 | 0.45 | 2.28 |
| 5 | Minnesota profile | $29.90 | $62,190 | $44,520 | $76,190 | 240 | 0.08 | 0.42 |
| 6 | Connecticut profile | $29.18 | $60,700 | $50,330 | $79,190 | 280 | 0.16 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Nevada profile | $28.93 | $60,180 | $45,510 | $64,810 | 220 | 0.14 | 0.71 |
| 8 | Iowa profile | $27.87 | $57,980 | $40,650 | $72,660 | 630 | 0.41 | 2.06 |
| 9 | Oregon profile | $27.84 | $57,920 | $41,140 | $71,030 | 560 | 0.28 | 1.43 |
| 10 | Alaska profile | $27.75 | $57,720 | $49,740 | $75,970 | 280 | 0.87 | 4.43 |
| 11 | Wisconsin profile | $27.57 | $57,340 | $35,640 | $73,530 | 1,050 | 0.36 | 1.80 |
| 12 | Montana profile | $27.34 | $56,860 | $39,130 | $79,170 | 290 | 0.57 | 2.89 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $27.12 | $56,410 | $37,910 | $70,910 | 160 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| 14 | California profile | $26.55 | $55,220 | $39,890 | $79,260 | 3,130 | 0.17 | 0.87 |
| 15 | New York profile | $26.55 | $55,220 | $38,520 | $74,720 | 1,550 | 0.16 | 0.81 |
| 16 | Hawaii profile | $26.22 | $54,530 | $48,600 | $71,860 | 80 | 0.13 | 0.64 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $25.57 | $53,190 | $35,380 | $81,390 | 1,210 | 0.20 | 1.00 |
| 18 | Massachusetts profile | $25.52 | $53,080 | $44,670 | $73,240 | 620 | 0.17 | 0.86 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $25.04 | $52,070 | $38,320 | $74,030 | 1,530 | 0.25 | 1.28 |
| 20 | Georgia profile | $24.94 | $51,880 | $36,470 | $67,200 | 590 | 0.12 | 0.61 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $24.86 | $51,700 | $39,990 | $74,450 | 500 | 0.17 | 0.87 |
| 22 | Missouri profile | $24.79 | $51,560 | $39,640 | $63,770 | 1,160 | 0.40 | 2.01 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $24.40 | $50,750 | $39,040 | $76,290 | 1,000 | 0.18 | 0.91 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $24.06 | $50,040 | $40,900 | $62,460 | 1,080 | 0.25 | 1.25 |
| 25 | Utah profile | $23.93 | $49,770 | $45,850 | $70,700 | 200 | 0.12 | 0.58 |
| 26 | Louisiana profile | $23.51 | $48,900 | $39,590 | $76,080 | 500 | 0.26 | 1.31 |
| 27 | Maine profile | $23.33 | $48,530 | $36,930 | $59,260 | 160 | 0.26 | 1.30 |
| 28 | Delaware profile | $23.29 | $48,440 | $37,440 | $56,930 | 30 | 0.07 | 0.35 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $23.26 | $48,380 | $35,210 | $68,490 | 770 | 0.24 | 1.21 |
| 30 | Arizona profile | $22.92 | $47,670 | $35,360 | $62,450 | 590 | 0.18 | 0.93 |
| 31 | Wyoming profile | $22.85 | $47,520 | $37,550 | $63,320 | 90 | 0.31 | 1.57 |
| 32 | Alabama profile | $22.78 | $47,370 | $37,610 | $57,500 | 400 | 0.19 | 0.97 |
| 33 | North Carolina profile | $22.73 | $47,280 | $36,510 | $71,690 | 1,020 | 0.21 | 1.04 |
| 34 | Virginia profile | $22.67 | $47,150 | $36,610 | $62,570 | 890 | 0.22 | 1.09 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $22.58 | $46,960 | $36,450 | $53,000 | 150 | 0.11 | 0.54 |
| 36 | Idaho profile | $22.53 | $46,860 | $36,870 | $64,000 | 230 | 0.27 | 1.38 |
| 37 | South Carolina profile | $22.44 | $46,660 | $33,350 | $59,440 | 640 | 0.28 | 1.40 |
| 38 | North Dakota profile | $22.28 | $46,340 | $42,410 | $78,570 | 70 | 0.16 | 0.82 |
| 39 | Florida profile | $22.19 | $46,150 | $36,760 | $64,000 | 1,330 | 0.13 | 0.68 |
| 40 | Vermont profile | $22.19 | $46,140 | $39,780 | $62,750 | 140 | 0.47 | 2.39 |
| 41 | Kentucky profile | $21.15 | $43,980 | $35,980 | $65,600 | 280 | 0.14 | 0.71 |
| 42 | Texas profile | $21.09 | $43,860 | $34,670 | $64,380 | 2,430 | 0.17 | 0.87 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $19.69 | $40,960 | $32,830 | $54,530 | 670 | 0.39 | 1.98 |
| 44 | New Mexico profile | $19.34 | $40,230 | $34,520 | $47,960 | 160 | 0.18 | 0.92 |
| 45 | South Dakota profile | $19.25 | $40,040 | $36,810 | $57,300 | 120 | 0.27 | 1.37 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $18.98 | $39,480 | $29,880 | $60,760 | 550 | 0.17 | 0.85 |
| 47 | Mississippi profile | $18.69 | $38,870 | $26,530 | $60,670 | 230 | 0.20 | 1.01 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $18.43 | $38,330 | $33,880 | $47,350 | ** | ** | ** |
| 49 | West Virginia profile | $17.41 | $36,200 | $23,320 | $43,630 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.54 |
Part of Construction and Extraction Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 47-4071 Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 47-4071, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-4071.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.