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Job outlook for water plant operators in the United States
Water plant operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected water plant operator job growth rate is -7% from 2018-2028.
About -8,600 new jobs for water plant operators are projected over the next decade.
Water plant operator salaries have increased 7% for water plant operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 14,102 water plant operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 39,348 active water plant operator job openings in the US.
The average water plant operator salary is $45,853.
Are water plant operator jobs in demand?
No, water plant operator jobs are not in demand. Water plant operator demand is projected to decline -7% from 2018 to 2028.
Water plant operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of water plant operator jobs and the average water plant operator salary over time.
Water plant operator jobs over time
Water plant operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 14,102 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 13,896 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 14,402 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 14,393 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 13,671 | 0.00% |
Average water plant operator salary over time
Water plant operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,853 | $22.04 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $44,611 | $21.45 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $43,696 | $21.01 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $43,107 | $20.72 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $42,743 | $20.55 | +2.2% |
Water plant operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of water plant operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where water plant operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for water plant operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,283 | 19% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 133 | 19% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 157 | 15% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 99 | 13% |
| 5 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 927 | 10% |
| 6 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 114 | 8% |
| 7 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 166 | 5% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 51 | 5% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 43 | 5% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 33 | 4% |
| 11 | Vermont | 623,657 | 24 | 4% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 23 | 4% |
| 13 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 307 | 3% |
| 14 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 197 | 3% |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 185 | 3% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 182 | 3% |
| 17 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 167 | 3% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 90 | 3% |
| 19 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 58 | 3% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 32 | 3% |
Most common cities for water plant operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spartanburg | 2 | 5% | $41,177 |
| 2 | Fort Dodge | 1 | 4% | $51,915 |
| 3 | Iowa City | 2 | 3% | $51,430 |
| 4 | Peachtree City | 1 | 3% | $34,403 |
| 5 | Hartford | 1 | 1% | $55,122 |
| 6 | Odessa | 1 | 1% | $36,791 |
| 7 | Thornton | 1 | 1% | $55,294 |
| 8 | West Palm Beach | 1 | 1% | $38,689 |