Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is $60,020, or $28.86 per hour. About 128,490 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $81,770 in California to $44,320 in Arkansas.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $81,770 | $39.31 | 11,630 | 0.77 |
| 2 | Nevada | $81,440 | $39.15 | — | — |
| 3 | Washington | $80,800 | $38.85 | 2,030 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $78,820 | $37.90 | 980 | 0.70 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $78,760 | $37.87 | 2,500 | 0.71 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $74,670 | $35.90 | 2,290 | 0.94 |
| 7 | Colorado | $74,200 | $35.68 | 2,620 | 1.10 |
| 8 | Oregon | $69,720 | $33.52 | 1,240 | 0.77 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $68,550 | $32.96 | 2,510 | 0.84 |
| 10 | Illinois | $67,810 | $32.60 | 3,500 | 0.69 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $65,560 | $31.52 | 610 | 1.17 |
| 12 | Delaware | $64,940 | $31.22 | 340 | 0.85 |
| 13 | New York | $63,990 | $30.76 | 5,300 | 0.66 |
| 14 | Vermont | $63,640 | $30.60 | 320 | 1.28 |
| 15 | Wisconsin | $63,550 | $30.56 | 2,230 | 0.92 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $63,310 | $30.44 | 4,660 | 0.93 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $63,260 | $30.41 | 500 | 2.17 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | $62,940 | $30.26 | 510 | 0.89 |
| 19 | Maryland | $61,870 | $29.75 | 1,770 | 0.77 |
| 20 | Maine | $61,870 | $29.74 | 710 | 1.34 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $61,820 | $29.72 | 420 | 1.01 |
| 22 | Arizona | $61,340 | $29.49 | 3,950 | 1.48 |
| 23 | Utah | $61,290 | $29.47 | 1,900 | 1.33 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $61,220 | $29.43 | 740 | 0.88 |
| 25 | Iowa | $60,990 | $29.32 | 2,370 | 1.84 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $60,470 | $29.07 | 550 | 1.56 |
| 27 | Alaska | $60,160 | $28.92 | 750 | 2.79 |
| 28 | Virginia | $59,420 | $28.57 | 3,460 | 1.02 |
| 29 | Michigan | $59,270 | $28.49 | 3,400 | 0.93 |
| 30 | Ohio | $59,170 | $28.45 | 5,870 | 1.28 |
| 31 | Florida | $59,030 | $28.38 | 7,440 | 0.91 |
| 32 | Montana | $58,040 | $27.90 | 690 | 1.64 |
| 33 | Indiana | $53,540 | $25.74 | 3,140 | 1.19 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $53,370 | $25.66 | 1,060 | 2.82 |
| 35 | Idaho | $52,210 | $25.10 | 1,480 | 2.08 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $52,090 | $25.05 | 2,650 | 1.39 |
| 37 | Alabama | $51,870 | $24.94 | 2,770 | 1.59 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $51,680 | $24.85 | 3,620 | 0.89 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $50,670 | $24.36 | 3,140 | 1.16 |
| 40 | Missouri | $49,940 | $24.01 | 3,000 | 1.24 |
| 41 | Texas | $49,460 | $23.78 | 10,520 | 0.91 |
| 42 | Georgia | $48,930 | $23.52 | 3,310 | 0.82 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $48,190 | $23.17 | 2,110 | 2.93 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $47,560 | $22.87 | 1,100 | 1.90 |
| 45 | Kansas | $46,780 | $22.49 | 1,560 | 1.31 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $46,480 | $22.34 | 1,150 | 1.20 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $46,210 | $22.22 | 2,450 | 1.53 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $45,890 | $22.06 | 2,280 | 1.62 |
| 49 | Kentucky | $45,430 | $21.84 | 2,540 | 1.54 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $44,320 | $21.31 | 2,010 | 1.87 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make?
The median annual wage for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in the United States is $60,020, or $28.86 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $39,110, and the top 10% earn $91,060.
How many water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators are employed in the U.S.?
About 128,490 people work as water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators nationwide.
Which state pays water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators the most?
California pays the most at a median of $81,770, followed by Nevada ($81,440) and Washington ($80,800).
Which state pays water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators the least?
Arkansas has the lowest median at $44,320.
Where are water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Mexico at 2.93×.