Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators (SOC 51-8031) earn a median $60,020 a year ($28.86 an hour) in the United States, with 128,490 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators do
Water and wastewater treatment plant operators run the systems that make drinking water safe and clean used water before it returns to the environment. Operators control and adjust equipment that purifies and clarifies water and processes or disposes of sewage, often through control boards, and the equipment can include power generation. Routine work includes collecting water and sewage samples and testing them with test equipment and color standards, then adjusting chemical feeds, such as chlorine, ammonia, or lime, so that water meets the standards. They check meters and gauges for equipment faults and load requirements, record readings and operating data on required forms, and may coordinate plant workers handling maintenance. Tanks, filter beds, and work areas are cleaned, and equipment is maintained, repaired, and lubricated with hand and power tools.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Basin Tender, Biosolids Management Technician (Biosolids Management Tech), Clarifying Plant Operator, Disposal Operator, Disposal Plant Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.80 | $23.10 | $28.86 | $35.95 | $43.78 | $30.07 | 128,490 |
| Annual | $39,110 | $48,040 | $60,020 | $74,780 | $91,060 | $62,540 | ||
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 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators 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 | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $26.94 | $31.37 | $39.31 | $49.78 | $59.32 | $41.92 | 11,630 | 0.64 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $56,030 | $65,250 | $81,770 | $103,550 | $123,380 | $87,190 | ||||
| Nevada | Hourly | $26.97 | $30.81 | $39.15 | $47.31 | $48.95 | $38.89 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $56,110 | $64,090 | $81,440 | $98,390 | $101,820 | $80,880 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $27.75 | $32.54 | $38.85 | $48.05 | $51.09 | $39.80 | 2,030 | 0.57 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $57,720 | $67,690 | $80,800 | $99,940 | $106,270 | $82,770 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $29.28 | $31.09 | $37.90 | $44.88 | $47.53 | $37.93 | 980 | 0.58 | 0.70 |
| Annual | $60,900 | $64,670 | $78,820 | $93,340 | $98,850 | $78,890 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.54 | $29.94 | $37.87 | $44.96 | $47.71 | $37.27 | 2,500 | 0.58 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $51,050 | $62,280 | $78,760 | $93,520 | $99,240 | $77,530 | ||||
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 | $26.94 | $31.37 | $39.31 | $49.78 | $59.32 | $41.92 | 11,630 | 0.64 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $56,030 | $65,250 | $81,770 | $103,550 | $123,380 | $87,190 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.57 | $20.07 | $23.78 | $29.23 | $33.78 | $24.96 | 10,520 | 0.75 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $36,550 | $41,740 | $49,460 | $60,810 | $70,270 | $51,920 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $19.05 | $22.88 | $28.38 | $35.02 | $40.52 | $29.41 | 7,440 | 0.75 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $39,630 | $47,580 | $59,030 | $72,830 | $84,280 | $61,180 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $21.80 | $23.55 | $28.45 | $31.57 | $36.16 | $28.36 | 5,870 | 1.06 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $45,350 | $48,980 | $59,170 | $65,670 | $75,200 | $58,990 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $23.24 | $25.82 | $30.76 | $38.30 | $49.16 | $33.50 | 5,300 | 0.55 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $48,350 | $53,700 | $63,990 | $79,670 | $102,260 | $69,680 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $35.37 | $47.16 | $60.17 | $65.95 | $71.05 | $56.15 | 1,040 | 0.44 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $73,570 | $98,090 | $125,160 | $137,170 | $147,790 | $116,800 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $30.36 | $40.03 | $52.02 | $62.02 | $66.85 | $51.44 | 460 | 0.40 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $63,150 | $83,260 | $108,190 | $128,990 | $139,050 | $106,990 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $31.44 | $36.47 | $51.04 | $56.32 | $62.24 | $47.84 | 200 | 1.38 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $65,390 | $75,850 | $106,150 | $117,140 | $129,470 | $99,500 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $29.52 | $38.78 | $48.82 | $54.39 | $61.52 | $46.79 | 100 | 1.33 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $61,400 | $80,670 | $101,540 | $113,130 | $127,960 | $97,320 | ||||
| Fairbanks-College, AK | Hourly | $25.10 | $39.91 | $48.00 | $49.40 | $51.41 | $45.13 | 40 | 1.04 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $52,200 | $83,010 | $99,840 | $102,750 | $106,920 | $93,870 | ||||
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 | $25.02 | $30.85 | $40.06 | $48.82 | $49.28 | $39.40 | 3,690 | 0.39 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $52,030 | $64,160 | $83,320 | $101,550 | $102,500 | $81,950 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $23.93 | $25.48 | $30.61 | $35.60 | $38.48 | $30.95 | 2,570 | 1.08 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $49,780 | $53,000 | $63,660 | $74,050 | $80,040 | $64,370 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $26.08 | $32.28 | $39.64 | $49.00 | $56.20 | $41.57 | 2,230 | 0.36 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $54,240 | $67,150 | $82,460 | $101,930 | $116,900 | $86,460 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $17.88 | $22.29 | $24.97 | $29.71 | $36.02 | $26.60 | 1,980 | 0.60 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $37,180 | $46,370 | $51,940 | $61,790 | $74,920 | $55,330 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $19.19 | $22.75 | $24.90 | $29.59 | $34.67 | $26.44 | 1,910 | 0.47 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $39,910 | $47,320 | $51,780 | $61,540 | $72,120 | $54,990 | ||||
Top industries employing water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) employ 73.9% of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators nationally (94,940 jobs) at a median $60,300 a year ($28.99 an hour), followed by Water, Sewage and Other Systems (13.1%) and Waste Treatment and Disposal (1.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 94,940 | 73.9% | $60,300 | $28.99 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems NAICS 221300 | 16,780 | 13.1% | $58,370 | $28.06 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal NAICS 562200 | 1,710 | 1.3% | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing NAICS 311600 | 1,490 | 1.2% | $49,730 | $23.91 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution NAICS 221100 | 1,100 | 0.9% | $59,480 | $28.60 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (128,490). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,880 for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in May 2021 and $60,020 in May 2025, with employment of 121,150 and 128,490.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,880 | $23.02 | 121,150 |
| May 2022 | $51,600 | $24.81 | 119,350 |
| May 2023 | $54,890 | $26.39 | 120,710 |
| May 2024 | $58,260 | $28.01 | 126,750 |
| May 2025 | $60,020 | $28.86 | 128,490 |
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
50 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 | California profile | $39.31 | $81,770 | $56,030 | $123,380 | 11,630 | 0.64 | 0.77 |
| 2 | Nevada profile | $39.15 | $81,440 | $56,110 | $101,820 | ** | ** | ** |
| 3 | Washington profile | $38.85 | $80,800 | $57,720 | $106,270 | 2,030 | 0.57 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | $37.90 | $78,820 | $60,900 | $98,850 | 980 | 0.58 | 0.70 |
| 5 | New Jersey profile | $37.87 | $78,760 | $51,050 | $99,240 | 2,500 | 0.58 | 0.71 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $35.90 | $74,670 | $52,130 | $87,250 | 2,290 | 0.78 | 0.94 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $35.68 | $74,200 | $50,130 | $95,730 | 2,620 | 0.91 | 1.10 |
| 8 | Oregon profile | $33.52 | $69,720 | $50,270 | $87,880 | 1,240 | 0.63 | 0.77 |
| 9 | Massachusetts profile | $32.96 | $68,550 | $50,980 | $91,390 | 2,510 | 0.69 | 0.84 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $32.60 | $67,810 | $42,240 | $103,690 | 3,500 | 0.57 | 0.69 |
| 11 | Hawaii profile | $31.52 | $65,560 | $46,900 | $82,680 | 610 | 0.97 | 1.17 |
| 12 | Delaware profile | $31.22 | $64,940 | $48,160 | $84,360 | 340 | 0.70 | 0.85 |
| 13 | New York profile | $30.76 | $63,990 | $48,350 | $102,260 | 5,300 | 0.55 | 0.66 |
| 14 | Vermont profile | $30.60 | $63,640 | $50,820 | $81,100 | 320 | 1.06 | 1.28 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $30.56 | $63,550 | $50,340 | $78,790 | 2,230 | 0.76 | 0.92 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania profile | $30.44 | $63,310 | $45,670 | $80,480 | 4,660 | 0.77 | 0.93 |
| 17 | Wyoming profile | $30.41 | $63,260 | $46,960 | $107,370 | 500 | 1.79 | 2.17 |
| 18 | New Hampshire profile | $30.26 | $62,940 | $49,170 | $81,290 | 510 | 0.74 | 0.89 |
| 19 | Maine profile | $29.74 | $61,870 | $49,220 | $84,730 | 710 | 1.11 | 1.34 |
| 20 | Maryland profile | $29.75 | $61,870 | $44,990 | $88,970 | 1,770 | 0.64 | 0.77 |
| 21 | Rhode Island profile | $29.72 | $61,820 | $49,150 | $84,640 | 420 | 0.83 | 1.01 |
| 22 | Arizona profile | $29.49 | $61,340 | $46,690 | $80,040 | 3,950 | 1.22 | 1.48 |
| 23 | Utah profile | $29.47 | $61,290 | $45,710 | $79,860 | 1,900 | 1.10 | 1.33 |
| 24 | Nebraska profile | $29.43 | $61,220 | $44,620 | $76,250 | 740 | 0.73 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Iowa profile | $29.32 | $60,990 | $46,880 | $76,040 | 2,370 | 1.52 | 1.84 |
| 26 | North Dakota profile | $29.07 | $60,470 | $47,250 | $78,940 | 550 | 1.29 | 1.56 |
| 27 | Alaska profile | $28.92 | $60,160 | $35,200 | $99,840 | 750 | 2.30 | 2.79 |
| 28 | Virginia profile | $28.57 | $59,420 | $38,590 | $79,470 | 3,460 | 0.84 | 1.02 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $28.49 | $59,270 | $46,710 | $75,910 | 3,400 | 0.77 | 0.93 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | $28.45 | $59,170 | $45,350 | $75,200 | 5,870 | 1.06 | 1.28 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $28.38 | $59,030 | $39,630 | $84,280 | 7,440 | 0.75 | 0.91 |
| 32 | Montana profile | $27.90 | $58,040 | $37,320 | $81,420 | 690 | 1.36 | 1.64 |
| 33 | Indiana profile | $25.74 | $53,540 | $40,590 | $75,290 | 3,140 | 0.98 | 1.19 |
| 34 | South Dakota profile | $25.66 | $53,370 | $43,890 | $73,170 | 1,060 | 2.33 | 2.82 |
| 35 | Idaho profile | $25.10 | $52,210 | $40,820 | $74,950 | 1,480 | 1.72 | 2.08 |
| 36 | South Carolina profile | $25.05 | $52,090 | $39,060 | $76,850 | 2,650 | 1.15 | 1.39 |
| 37 | Alabama profile | $24.94 | $51,870 | $35,100 | $79,950 | 2,770 | 1.31 | 1.59 |
| 38 | North Carolina profile | $24.85 | $51,680 | $37,860 | $75,600 | 3,620 | 0.73 | 0.89 |
| 39 | Tennessee profile | $24.36 | $50,670 | $35,430 | $75,540 | 3,140 | 0.96 | 1.16 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $24.01 | $49,940 | $38,600 | $64,930 | 3,000 | 1.02 | 1.24 |
| 41 | Texas profile | $23.78 | $49,460 | $36,550 | $70,270 | 10,520 | 0.75 | 0.91 |
| 42 | Georgia profile | $23.52 | $48,930 | $36,970 | $67,520 | 3,310 | 0.68 | 0.82 |
| 43 | New Mexico profile | $23.17 | $48,190 | $36,110 | $80,090 | 2,110 | 2.42 | 2.93 |
| 44 | West Virginia profile | $22.87 | $47,560 | $35,360 | $75,240 | 1,100 | 1.57 | 1.90 |
| 45 | Kansas profile | $22.49 | $46,780 | $35,870 | $66,800 | 1,560 | 1.09 | 1.31 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $22.34 | $46,480 | $35,230 | $64,130 | 1,150 | 0.99 | 1.20 |
| 47 | Louisiana profile | $22.22 | $46,210 | $31,440 | $63,870 | 2,450 | 1.27 | 1.53 |
| 48 | Oklahoma profile | $22.06 | $45,890 | $35,250 | $63,040 | 2,280 | 1.34 | 1.62 |
| 49 | Kentucky profile | $21.84 | $45,430 | $33,210 | $63,740 | 2,540 | 1.27 | 1.54 |
| 50 | Arkansas profile | $21.31 | $44,320 | $31,480 | $61,780 | 2,010 | 1.54 | 1.87 |
Part of Production 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 51-8031 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators.
**- 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 51-8031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-8031.00, 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.