Wastewater plant operator demographics and statistics in the US
Wastewater plant operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates wastewater plant operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our wastewater plant operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about wastewater plant operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 11,690 wastewater plant operators currently employed in the United States.
- 7.1% of all wastewater plant operators are women, while 92.9% are men.
- The average wastewater plant operator age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of wastewater plant operators is White (70.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.7%), Black or African American (7.8%) and Unknown (4.5%).
- Wastewater plant operators are most in-demand in Millsboro, DE.
- The utilities industry is the highest-paying for wastewater plant operators.
- 5% of all wastewater plant operators are LGBT.
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Wastewater plant operator demographics by:
Wastewater plant operator gender statistics
7.1% of wastewater plant operators are women and 92.9% of wastewater plant operators are men.
- Male, 92.9%
- Female, 7.1%
Wastewater plant operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 92.9% |
| Female | 7.1% |
Wastewater plant operator gender pay gap
Women earn $1.02 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$46,004
Female income
$46,784
Wastewater plant operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in wastewater plant operator positions over time. Currently, 7.1% of wastewater plant operators are female.
Wastewater plant operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 91.90% | 8.10% |
| 2011 | 92.49% | 7.51% |
| 2012 | 93.02% | 6.98% |
| 2013 | 93.96% | 6.04% |
| 2014 | 91.63% | 8.37% |
| 2015 | 92.14% | 7.86% |
| 2016 | 93.28% | 6.72% |
| 2017 | 91.91% | 8.09% |
| 2018 | 90.17% | 9.83% |
| 2019 | 90.92% | 9.08% |
| 2020 | 88.62% | 11.38% |
| 2021 | 92.88% | 7.12% |
Wastewater plant operator related jobs gender ratio
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Wastewater Plant Operator | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Wastewater plant operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among wastewater plant operators is White, which makes up 70.9% of all wastewater plant operators. Comparatively, 12.7% of wastewater plant operators are Hispanic or Latino and 7.8% of wastewater plant operators are Black or African American.
- White, 70.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Black or African American, 7.8%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%
- Asian, 1.8%
Wastewater plant operator race
| Wastewater plant operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 70.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Black or African American | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 2.3% |
| Asian | 1.8% |
Wastewater plant operator race and ethnicity over time
See how wastewater plant operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Wastewater plant operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.87% | 10.20% | 0.60% | 11.11% |
| 2011 | 74.10% | 10.58% | 1.13% | 10.22% |
| 2012 | 75.55% | 9.09% | 1.55% | 10.40% |
| 2013 | 73.41% | 9.84% | 1.19% | 10.79% |
| 2014 | 74.79% | 8.86% | 1.41% | 11.83% |
| 2015 | 73.90% | 7.82% | 1.84% | 12.15% |
| 2016 | 73.49% | 9.56% | 1.76% | 11.91% |
| 2017 | 75.58% | 8.49% | 1.47% | 11.16% |
| 2018 | 76.79% | 8.08% | 1.50% | 10.18% |
| 2019 | 76.49% | 7.80% | 1.18% | 10.58% |
| 2020 | 71.51% | 7.30% | 2.15% | 11.53% |
| 2021 | 70.89% | 7.82% | 1.84% | 12.69% |
Wastewater plant operator wage gap by race
According to our data, asian wastewater plant operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown wastewater plant operators have the lowest average salary at $43,154.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,154 |
| White | $45,861 |
| Black or African American | $46,680 |
| Asian | $49,519 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $45,042 |
Average wastewater plant operator age
See how the average age of wastewater plant operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Wastewater plant operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 45 | |
| White | 48 | 43.5 |
| Black or African American | 50 | |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 42.5 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 46 |
Wastewater plant operator age breakdown
The average age of wastewater plant operators is 40+ years years old, representing 71% of the wastewater plant operator population.
Wastewater plant operator age breakdown
| Wastewater Plant Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 71% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 5% |
Wastewater plant operator educational attainment
The most common degree for wastewater plant operators is associate degree, with 35% of wastewater plant operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 34% and bachelor's degree degree at 20%.
- Associate, 35%
- Bachelor's, 34%
- High School Diploma, 20%
- Master's, 2%
- Other Degrees, 9%
Wastewater plant operators by degree level
| Wastewater plant operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 35% |
| Bachelor's | 34% |
| High School Diploma | 20% |
| Master's | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 9% |
Wastewater plant operator jobs you might like
Wastewater plant operator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, wastewater plant operators with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $49,798 annually. With a Associate degree, wastewater plant operators earn a median annual income of $49,324 compared to $45,384 for wastewater plant operators with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $45,384 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,798 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $49,324 |
Wastewater plant operator employment statistics
Most wastewater plant operators work for a government in the government industry.
Company size where wastewater plant operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where wastewater plant operators work.
Wastewater plant operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 20% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 10% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 23% |
| > 10,000 employees | 13% |
Wastewater plant operator jobs by company type
Employees with the wastewater plant operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most wastewater plant operators prefer to work at government companies over private companies.
Wastewater plant operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 10% |
| Private | 36% |
| Government | 50% |
Wastewater plant operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for wastewater plant operators are government, utilities and manufacturing.
Wastewater plant operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Government | 44% |
| Utilities | 9% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Energy | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Construction | 3% |
| Education | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
Wastewater plant operator turnover and employment statistics
Wastewater plant operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for wastewater plant operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Wastewater plant operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Wastewater plant operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.49% |
| 2011 | 3.19% |
| 2012 | 2.40% |
| 2013 | 2.30% |
| 2014 | 2.09% |
| 2015 | 1.91% |
| 2016 | 1.70% |
| 2017 | 0.98% |
| 2018 | 1.09% |
| 2019 | 1.23% |
| 2020 | 2.69% |
| 2021 | 1.40% |
Average wastewater plant operator tenure
The average wastewater plant operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 313 wastewater plant operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Wastewater plant operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 19% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 14% |
Wastewater plant operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of wastewater plant operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pump House Engineer | 4.19% | 23,720 |
| Wastewater Plant Operator | 4.62% | - |
| Nuclear Unit Operator | 4.80% | 44,418 |
| Chemical Plant Operator Supervisor | 10.89% | 39,266 |
Similar wastewater plant operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Pump House Engineer | 4.19% | 23,720 |
| Nuclear Unit Operator | 4.80% | 44,418 |
| Chemical Plant Operator Supervisor | 10.89% | 39,266 |
Foreign languages spoken by wastewater plant operators
- Spanish, 66.7%
- Japanese, 33.3%
Wastewater plant operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 66.7% |
| Japanese | 33.3% |
