Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Wastewater treatment operator salary
Average wastewater treatment operator salary
$45,618
Understanding Wastewater Treatment Operator Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a wastewater treatment operator stands at $45,618 per year or approximately $22 per hour. This compensation varies significantly across states and experience levels. For instance, operators with several years in the field can see higher earnings, particularly in states with increased demand for skilled operators.
Salary by State
States like California and Texas often offer competitive wages due to a higher cost of living and more job opportunities. Additionally, operators can enhance their salary prospects by pursuing certifications or advanced training in environmental management.
Career Opportunities
The job market for wastewater treatment operators remains strong, with various opportunities in municipal, industrial, and private sectors. As urban areas continue to grow, the demand for skilled operators is expected to rise.
For those interested in pursuing this career, Zippia provides comprehensive resources to help you navigate job applications and salary negotiations. Understanding the market and your potential earning capacity is crucial for making informed decisions about your career path.
Let Zippi find your next wastewater treatment operator job
Let Zippi find your next wastewater treatment operator job
Where can a Wastewater Treatment Operator earn more?
Wastewater treatment operator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level wastewater treatment operator | $41,600 | $19.99 |
| Mid-level wastewater treatment operator | $56,400 | $27.11 |
| Senior-level wastewater treatment operator | $60,300 | $28.97 |
Wastewater treatment operator salary estimates from across the web
Average wastewater treatment operator salary by state
The average wastewater treatment operator salary in Idaho, Washington, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average wastewater treatment operator salary states are Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for wastewater treatment operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | $74,148 | $35.65 |
| 2 | Vermont | $66,094 | $31.78 |
| 3 | Maine | $71,013 | $34.14 |
| 4 | Alaska | $65,438 | $31.46 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $60,602 | $29.14 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $60,213 | $28.95 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $53,892 | $25.91 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $55,107 | $26.49 |
| 9 | Nevada | $54,508 | $26.21 |
| 10 | Washington | $72,869 | $35.03 |
| 11 | Iowa | $51,567 | $24.79 |
| 12 | Delaware | $55,027 | $26.46 |
| 13 | California | $66,763 | $32.10 |
| 14 | Oregon | $56,974 | $27.39 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $49,980 | $24.03 |
| 16 | Colorado | $56,459 | $27.14 |
| 17 | Utah | $51,694 | $24.85 |
| 18 | Ohio | $52,247 | $25.12 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $54,833 | $26.36 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $50,568 | $24.31 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $52,555 | $25.27 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $49,775 | $23.93 |
| 23 | Wyoming | $48,359 | $23.25 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $52,151 | $25.07 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $50,392 | $24.23 |
| 26 | Illinois | $53,569 | $25.75 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $46,323 | $22.27 |
| 28 | Montana | $46,408 | $22.31 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $47,718 | $22.94 |
| 30 | Indiana | $47,935 | $23.05 |
| 31 | New York | $50,757 | $24.40 |
| 32 | Arizona | $43,922 | $21.12 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $46,076 | $22.15 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $41,578 | $19.99 |
| 35 | Virginia | $49,251 | $23.68 |
| 36 | Kansas | $40,344 | $19.40 |
| 37 | Michigan | $46,288 | $22.25 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,106 | $18.80 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $39,829 | $19.15 |
| 40 | Missouri | $41,583 | $19.99 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $34,149 | $16.42 |
| 42 | Alabama | $39,510 | $19.00 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $37,686 | $18.12 |
| 44 | Maryland | $42,707 | $20.53 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $37,235 | $17.90 |
| 46 | Texas | $37,566 | $18.06 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $32,023 | $15.40 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $34,653 | $16.66 |
| 49 | Florida | $35,382 | $17.01 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $34,165 | $16.43 |
| 51 | Georgia | $35,132 | $16.89 |
Highest paying cities for wastewater treatment operators
The highest-paying cities for wastewater treatment operators are Mercer Island, WA, San Mateo, CA, and Eugene, OR.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercer Island, WA | $73,252 | $35.22 |
| 2 | San Mateo, CA | $71,700 | $34.47 |
| 3 | Eugene, OR | $56,822 | $27.32 |
| 4 | Aurora, CO | $56,464 | $27.15 |
| 5 | Andover, MA | $55,110 | $26.50 |
| 6 | Manchester, CT | $54,818 | $26.35 |
| 7 | Cranston, RI | $53,955 | $25.94 |
| 8 | Cortlandt, NY | $50,744 | $24.40 |
| 9 | Winchester, VA | $50,712 | $24.38 |
| 10 | Hamilton, OH | $50,676 | $24.36 |
| 11 | Bellevue, NE | $50,651 | $24.35 |
| 12 | Scottsdale, AZ | $44,033 | $21.17 |
| 13 | Frederick, MD | $42,707 | $20.53 |
| 14 | Cedar Park, TX | $37,775 | $18.16 |
| 15 | Statesville, NC | $37,563 | $18.06 |
| 16 | Palm Bay, FL | $35,442 | $17.04 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $35,423 | $17.03 |
Wastewater treatment operator salary details
A wastewater treatment operator's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a wastewater treatment operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $45,618 | $3,802 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying wastewater treatment operator jobs
The highest paying types of wastewater treatment operators are transmission system operator, senior system operator, and auxiliary operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utility Plant Operative | $42,253 | $3,521 | $20.31 | 19,159 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Water Technician | $38,723 | $3,227 | $18.62 | 34,702 |
| Auxiliary Operator | $60,040 | $5,003 | $28.87 | 32,777 |
| Utility Operator | $38,693 | $3,224 | $18.60 | 67,565 |
| Plant Operator | $42,697 | $3,558 | $20.53 | 43,388 |
Top companies hiring wastewater treatment operators now:
Which companies pay wastewater treatment operators the most?
Wastewater treatment operator salaries at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Jacobs Engineering Group are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average wastewater treatment operator salary at companies like OMNOVA Solutions and Town of Manchester Town Hall are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $64,501 | $31.01 |
| 2 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $59,648 | $28.68 |
| 3 | OMNOVA Solutions | $58,737 | $28.24 |
| 4 | Town of Manchester Town Hall | $58,372 | $28.06 |
| 5 | City Of San Mateo | $56,956 | $27.38 |
| 6 | City of Scottsdale | $56,838 | $27.33 |
| 7 | City of Roseville Michigan | $56,746 | $27.28 |
| 8 | Utz Brands | $56,073 | $26.96 |
| 9 | Molson Coors | $55,715 | $26.79 |
| 10 | Aqua | $54,478 | $26.19 |
| 11 | American Water | $54,033 | $25.98 |
| 12 | Civil & Environmental Consultants | $53,566 | $25.75 |
| 13 | Johnsonville | $53,175 | $25.56 |
| 14 | King County | $52,654 | $25.31 |
| 15 | City of Palm Bay | $52,292 | $25.14 |
| 16 | Clean Harbors | $51,973 | $24.99 |
| 17 | County Of Los Angeles Public Library | $51,412 | $24.72 |
| 18 | Lamb Weston | $51,203 | $24.62 |
| 19 | New York State Restaurant Association | $49,991 | $24.03 |
| 20 | Mountaire Farms | $49,894 | $23.99 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Wastewater Treatment Operator salary by industry
The average wastewater treatment operator salary varies across industries:
- The average wastewater treatment operator salary in the professional industry is $49,299, the highest of any industry.
- The average wastewater treatment operator salary in the finance industry is $49,090.
- Wastewater treatment operators in the government industry earn an average salary of $42,897, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for wastewater treatment operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $49,299 | $23.70 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $49,090 | $23.60 |
| 3 | Energy | $47,867 | $23.01 |
| 4 | Utilities | $47,652 | $22.91 |
| 5 | Health Care | $46,821 | $22.51 |
| 6 | Government | $42,897 | $20.62 |
High paying wastewater treatment operator jobs
Wastewater treatment operator salary trends
The average wastewater treatment operator salary has risen by $6,793 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average wastewater treatment operator earned $38,825 annually, but today, they earn $45,618 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for wastewater treatment operators over the last decade.
Compare wastewater treatment operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average wastewater treatment operator salary over time
Compare wastewater treatment operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Wastewater treatment operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,600 | $21.93 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $44,400 | $21.34 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $43,500 | $20.90 | +1.3% |
| 2022 | $42,900 | $20.62 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | $42,500 | $20.44 | +2.1% |
Recently added wastewater treatment operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of Clearwater, Fl | Lead Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator | Belleair, FL | 06/29/2025 | $67,145 |
| Handex Consulting & Remediation | Wastewater Operator | Vineland, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Ttm Technologies | Wastewater Treatment Operator-Start In October 2025 | Syracuse, NY | 06/27/2025 | $58,581 |
| Aerotek | Wastewater Operator | Greenfield, IN | 06/26/2025 | $52,000 |
| Vestis | Operator Wastewater | Los Angeles, CA | 06/25/2025 | $44,871 |
| Aqua Engineers | Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator | Urban Honolulu, HI | 06/25/2025 | $59,104 |
| City of Scottsdale, Az | Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator I/II Underfill Opportunity) | Scottsdale, AZ | 06/24/2025 | $60,189 |
| King County (Wa | Wastewater Treatment Operator/Senior Operator-West Point C-Crew | Seattle, WA | 06/24/2025 | $86,005 |
| County of Nevada | Wastewater Treatment System Operator II | Nevada City, CA | 06/22/2025 | $72,946 |
| Aerotek | Wastewater Treatment Operator | Homestead, FL | 06/21/2025 | $52,175 |
Wastewater treatment operator salary FAQs
Search for wastewater treatment operator jobs