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Water treatment technician salary
Average water treatment technician salary
$44,399
Understanding the Water Treatment Technician Salary
A water treatment technician is essential for maintaining water quality and safety. As of October 2025, the average annual salary stands at $44,399, translating to about $21 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location and experience level. For instance, technicians with more years of experience typically command higher wages.
Geographically, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries compared to others, reflecting the demand for skilled professionals in urban areas. Additionally, working in specific sectors, such as municipal water systems, can also impact earnings positively.
For those considering a career in this field, it's valuable to review salary estimates from various sources and to understand how these figures can guide your career path. By knowing the highest-paying states and sectors, you can position yourself strategically in the job market.
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Where can a Water Treatment Technician earn more?
Water treatment technician salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level water treatment technician | $40,500 | $19.46 |
| Mid-level water treatment technician | $54,900 | $26.39 |
| Senior-level water treatment technician | $58,700 | $28.20 |
Water treatment technician salary estimates from across the web
Average water treatment technician salary by state
The highest-paying states for water treatment technicians are Alaska, Maine, and Vermont. The lowest average water treatment technician salary states are Georgia, Louisiana, and New Mexico.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for water treatment technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $61,326 | $29.48 |
| 2 | Alaska | $61,631 | $29.63 |
| 3 | Vermont | $57,417 | $27.60 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $49,257 | $23.68 |
| 5 | Delaware | $48,577 | $23.35 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $53,951 | $25.94 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $49,287 | $23.70 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $48,546 | $23.34 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $41,896 | $20.14 |
| 10 | Washington | $53,957 | $25.94 |
| 11 | Illinois | $44,088 | $21.20 |
| 12 | Iowa | $41,720 | $20.06 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $48,537 | $23.34 |
| 14 | Maryland | $46,972 | $22.58 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $44,456 | $21.37 |
| 16 | New York | $45,347 | $21.80 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $41,209 | $19.81 |
| 18 | Nevada | $42,541 | $20.45 |
| 19 | California | $50,509 | $24.28 |
| 20 | Arizona | $40,821 | $19.63 |
| 21 | Indiana | $39,459 | $18.97 |
| 22 | Ohio | $42,438 | $20.40 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $40,183 | $19.32 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $38,610 | $18.56 |
| 25 | Michigan | $39,226 | $18.86 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $42,423 | $20.40 |
| 27 | Colorado | $38,733 | $18.62 |
| 28 | Montana | $37,157 | $17.86 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $35,202 | $16.92 |
| 30 | Oregon | $41,691 | $20.04 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $45,495 | $21.87 |
| 32 | Florida | $34,148 | $16.42 |
| 33 | Utah | $35,930 | $17.27 |
| 34 | Missouri | $34,326 | $16.50 |
| 35 | Virginia | $39,372 | $18.93 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $35,462 | $17.05 |
| 37 | Alabama | $34,180 | $16.43 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $36,550 | $17.57 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $38,690 | $18.60 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $34,113 | $16.40 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $32,709 | $15.73 |
| 42 | Kansas | $32,748 | $15.74 |
| 43 | Wyoming | $35,111 | $16.88 |
| 44 | Georgia | $30,085 | $14.46 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $29,188 | $14.03 |
| 46 | Texas | $30,961 | $14.89 |
| 47 | Idaho | $31,416 | $15.10 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $30,006 | $14.43 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $28,712 | $13.80 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $28,165 | $13.54 |
| 51 | New Mexico | $29,249 | $14.06 |
Highest paying cities for water treatment technicians
The highest-paying cities for water treatment technicians are Portland, ME, San Jose, CA, and Boston, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland, ME | $61,998 | $29.81 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $51,227 | $24.63 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $49,277 | $23.69 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $45,466 | $21.86 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $45,315 | $21.79 |
| 6 | Gurnee, IL | $44,846 | $21.56 |
| 7 | Tualatin, OR | $41,719 | $20.06 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $41,153 | $19.79 |
| 9 | Chandler, AZ | $40,878 | $19.65 |
| 10 | Canton, MI | $39,048 | $18.77 |
| 11 | Greeley, CO | $38,985 | $18.74 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $38,601 | $18.56 |
| 13 | Billings, MT | $37,163 | $17.87 |
| 14 | Knoxville, TN | $34,640 | $16.65 |
| 15 | Gainesville, FL | $33,641 | $16.17 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $33,199 | $15.96 |
| 17 | Midland, TX | $31,452 | $15.12 |
| 18 | Carlsbad, NM | $30,503 | $14.66 |
Water treatment technician salary details
A water treatment technician's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $67,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a water treatment technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 75th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
| Average | $44,399 | $3,700 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying water treatment technician jobs
The highest paying types of water treatment technicians are transmission system operator, senior system operator, and auxiliary operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auxiliary Operator | $60,040 | $5,003 | $28.87 | 32,777 |
| Utility Operator | $38,693 | $3,224 | $18.60 | 67,565 |
| Utility Plant Operative | $42,253 | $3,521 | $20.31 | 19,159 |
| Plant Operator | $42,697 | $3,558 | $20.53 | 43,388 |
| Waste Water Operator | $43,470 | $3,622 | $20.90 | 36,711 |
| Water Operator | $43,748 | $3,646 | $21.03 | 38,012 |
Top companies hiring water treatment technicians now:
Which companies pay water treatment technicians the most?
Water treatment technician salaries at Vicor and Lear are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average water treatment technician salary at companies like Covanta and Southcoast Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vicor | $89,801 | $43.17 |
| 2 | Lear | $65,840 | $31.65 |
| 3 | Covanta | $65,499 | $31.49 |
| 4 | Southcoast Health | $60,441 | $29.06 |
| 5 | Woodard & Curran | $50,766 | $24.41 |
| 6 | Sanmina | $49,462 | $23.78 |
| 7 | WaterOne | $48,954 | $23.54 |
| 8 | Harsco | $48,632 | $23.38 |
| 9 | Clean Harbors | $47,241 | $22.71 |
| 10 | Aqua | $46,889 | $22.54 |
| 11 | Cue Health | $46,060 | $22.14 |
| 12 | Clemens Food Group | $44,525 | $21.41 |
| 13 | Mayo Clinic | $44,395 | $21.34 |
| 14 | Ahmad, Zavitsanos, Anaipakos, Alavi & Mensing P.c. Or Aza | $43,871 | $21.09 |
| 15 | B. Braun Medical | $43,635 | $20.98 |
| 16 | Engineering Consulting Services | $43,350 | $20.84 |
| 17 | GE Appliances | $43,252 | $20.79 |
| 18 | HKA Enterprises | $42,447 | $20.41 |
| 19 | Growth Works | $42,284 | $20.33 |
| 20 | Evoqua Water Technologies | $42,245 | $20.31 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Water Treatment Technician salary by industry
The average water treatment technician salary varies across industries:
- The average water treatment technician salary in the manufacturing industry is $43,873, the highest of any industry.
- The average water treatment technician salary in the finance industry is $42,544.
- Water treatment technicians in the health care industry earn an average salary of $38,051, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for water treatment technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $43,873 | $21.09 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $42,544 | $20.45 |
| 3 | Professional | $42,130 | $20.25 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $41,807 | $20.10 |
| 5 | Government | $39,587 | $19.03 |
| 6 | Health Care | $38,051 | $18.29 |
High paying water treatment technician jobs
Water treatment technician salary trends
The average water treatment technician salary has risen by $6,612 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average water treatment technician earned $37,787 annually, but today, they earn $44,399 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for water treatment technicians over the last decade.
Compare water treatment technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average water treatment technician salary over time
Compare water treatment technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Water treatment technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $44,400 | $21.35 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $43,200 | $20.77 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $42,300 | $20.34 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $41,700 | $20.07 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $41,400 | $19.90 | +2.1% |
Recently added water treatment technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lad Lake Inc. | Residential Youth Treatment Technician | Dousman, WI | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| Element Materials Technology | Water Treatment/Maintenance Tech (2ND Shift) | South Windsor, CT | 06/26/2025 | $42,784 |
| Job Listingselement Materials Technology | Water Treatment/Maintenance Tech (2ND Shift) | South Windsor, CT | 06/26/2025 | $42,784 |
| Ecolab Inc. | Water Treatment Technician | Woodbridge, NJ | 06/25/2025 | $38,700 |
| Enviri Corporation | Wastewater Treatment Technician | Kent, WA | 06/25/2025 | $52,175 |
| Exova | Water Treatment/Maintenance Tech (2ND Shift) | South Windsor, CT | 06/24/2025 | $42,784 |
| Compass Health | Psych Tech-Mukilteo Evaluation & Treatment | Mukilteo, WA | 06/19/2025 | $51,027 |
| Garratt Callahan Co | Water Treatment Chemical Service Tech (Data Center Focused) | Fort Wayne, IN | 06/18/2025 | $55,000 |
| Yellowstone Local | Water Treatment Field Technician | Lake Barrington, IL | 06/17/2025 | $40,000 |
| Licedoctors | Lice Treatment Tech | Santa Barbara, CA | 06/17/2025 | $37,566 |
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