Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a water operator
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Water operator opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for water operators, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for water operators.Our research found that Vermont is the best state for water operators, while Washington and Maine are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Vermont has a median salary of $59,742 and Washington has the highest median salary among all 50 states for water operators.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for water operators.Vermont is the best state, and Bellingham is the city with the highest pay for water operators.
10 best states for water operators in 2026
1. Vermont
Total water operator jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $59,742 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.03
2. North Dakota
Total water operator jobs: 26 Average annual salary: $54,727 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
3. Alaska
Total water operator jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $58,248 Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 5.42
4. New Jersey
Total water operator jobs: 776 Average annual salary: $55,856 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 4.56
5. Rhode Island
Total water operator jobs: 140 Average annual salary: $49,628 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 5.37
6. Nevada
Total water operator jobs: 34 Average annual salary: $50,557 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
7. Oregon
Total water operator jobs: 57 Average annual salary: $54,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 0.64
8. Massachusetts
Total water operator jobs: 1,089 Average annual salary: $50,358 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 5.53
9. Washington
Total water operator jobs: 65 Average annual salary: $70,750 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.42
10. Iowa
Total water operator jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $47,484 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 0.94
Water operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a water operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a water operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $59,742 | $45,000 | 623,657 | 17 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $54,727 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 26 |
| 3 | Alaska | $58,248 | $52,000 | 739,795 | 97 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $55,856 | $39,000 | 9,005,644 | 776 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $49,628 | $36,000 | 1,059,639 | 140 |
| 6 | Nevada | $50,557 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 34 |
| 7 | Oregon | $54,481 | $42,000 | 4,142,776 | 57 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $50,358 | $37,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,089 |
| 9 | Washington | $70,750 | $56,000 | 7,405,743 | 65 |
| 10 | Iowa | $47,484 | $36,000 | 3,145,711 | 73 |
| 11 | Delaware | $50,278 | $35,000 | 961,939 | 25 |
| 12 | Maine | $63,407 | $48,000 | 1,335,907 | 10 |
| 13 | Montana | $47,310 | $37,000 | 1,050,493 | 26 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $51,428 | $40,000 | 5,576,606 | 69 |
| 15 | Utah | $47,954 | $36,000 | 3,101,833 | 51 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $45,018 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 14 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $50,751 | $36,000 | 3,588,184 | 34 |
| 18 | California | $51,528 | $37,000 | 39,536,653 | 306 |
| 19 | Arizona | $46,498 | $34,000 | 7,016,270 | 96 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $45,143 | $32,000 | 1,815,857 | 22 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $47,573 | $33,000 | 693,972 | 103 |
| 22 | Ohio | $46,442 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 100 |
| 23 | Colorado | $46,090 | $35,000 | 5,607,154 | 106 |
| 24 | Illinois | $49,074 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 68 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $44,310 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 82 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $45,734 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 23 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $47,022 | $35,000 | 1,920,076 | 21 |
| 28 | Idaho | $42,745 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 35 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $42,666 | $33,000 | 869,666 | 18 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $45,450 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 51 |
| 31 | Indiana | $43,591 | $32,000 | 6,666,818 | 82 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $41,660 | $29,000 | 12,805,537 | 158 |
| 33 | New York | $46,847 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 98 |
| 34 | Maryland | $38,785 | $27,000 | 6,052,177 | 873 |
| 35 | Virginia | $44,194 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 80 |
| 36 | Kansas | $37,471 | $28,000 | 2,913,123 | 44 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $36,985 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 72 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $36,478 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 67 |
| 39 | Alabama | $36,673 | $27,000 | 4,874,747 | 53 |
| 40 | Michigan | $42,444 | $31,000 | 9,962,311 | 56 |
| 41 | Florida | $36,653 | $26,000 | 20,984,400 | 182 |
| 42 | Missouri | $38,313 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 48 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $31,734 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 39 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $36,557 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 88 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $34,634 | $26,000 | 3,930,864 | 32 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $35,179 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 36 |
| 47 | Texas | $31,831 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 293 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $34,601 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 19 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $32,392 | $23,000 | 4,684,333 | 34 |
| 50 | Georgia | $32,670 | $24,000 | 10,429,379 | 111 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $31,523 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 26 |
Highest paying states for water operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Water Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $59,742 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $54,727 |
| 3 | Alaska | $58,248 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $55,856 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $49,628 |
| 6 | Nevada | $50,557 |
| 7 | Oregon | $54,481 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $50,358 |
| 9 | Washington | $70,750 |
| 10 | Iowa | $47,484 |
| 11 | Delaware | $50,278 |
| 12 | Maine | $63,407 |
| 13 | Montana | $47,310 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $51,428 |
| 15 | Utah | $47,954 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $45,018 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $50,751 |
| 18 | California | $51,528 |
| 19 | Arizona | $46,498 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $45,143 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $47,573 |
| 22 | Ohio | $46,442 |
| 23 | Colorado | $46,090 |
| 24 | Illinois | $49,074 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $44,310 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $45,734 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $47,022 |
| 28 | Idaho | $42,745 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $42,666 |
| 30 | Wisconsin | $45,450 |
| 31 | Indiana | $43,591 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $41,660 |
| 33 | New York | $46,847 |
| 34 | Maryland | $38,785 |
| 35 | Virginia | $44,194 |
| 36 | Kansas | $37,471 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $36,985 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $36,478 |
| 39 | Alabama | $36,673 |
| 40 | Michigan | $42,444 |
| 41 | Florida | $36,653 |
| 42 | Missouri | $38,313 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $31,734 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $36,557 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $34,634 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $35,179 |
| 47 | Texas | $31,831 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $34,601 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $32,392 |
| 50 | Georgia | $32,670 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $31,523 |
Water operator best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.
Search for water operator jobs
Updated January 8, 2025