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Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salary in the United States

How much does an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician in the United States is $55,100 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

However, an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $69,046
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,000 to $62,400
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $43,446
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View as table View as graph 25% $49,000 10% $43,446 90% $69,046 75% $62,400 $55,100 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $62,400 $5,200 $1,200 $30
Average $55,100 $4,592 $1,060 $26
25th Percentile $49,000 $4,083 $942 $24
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Key Factors That Influence Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salaries

An Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry Waste Water Treatment Technician (0-1 years): $49,081
  • Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician (1-3 years): $55,038
  • Senior Waste Water Treatment Technician (3-5 years): $62,040
  • Wastewater Operations Plant Supervisor (5+ years): $95,007
  • Wastewater Operations Plant Manager (5+ years): $108,405
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Entry Waste Water Treatment Technician0-1 years$49,081
Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician1-3 years$55,038
Senior Waste Water Treatment Technician3-5 years$62,040
Wastewater Operations Plant Supervisor5+ years$95,007
Wastewater Operations Plant Manager5+ years$108,405
$49,081 Entry Was...
$55,038 Intermedi...
$62,040 Senior Wa...
$95,007 Wastewate...
$108,405 Wastewate...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technicians

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $69,500
  • San Francisco: $68,700
  • Oakland: $67,300

What Skills Can Increase an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 10.3% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Plumbing (Mentioned in 3.58% Job Postings): Plumbing is any system that conveys fluids for a wide range of applications. Plumbing uses pipes, valves, plumbing fixtures, tanks, and other apparatuses to convey fluids. Heating and cooling (HVAC), waste removal, and potable water delivery are among the most common uses for plumbing, but it is not limited to these applications. The word derives from the Latin for lead, plumbum, as the first effective pipes used in the Roman era were lead pipes. In the developed world, plumbing infrastructure is critical to public health and sanitation. Boilermakers and pipefitters are not plumbers although they work with piping as part of their trade and their work can include some plumbing.
  • Material Handling (Mentioned in 2.38% Job Postings): Material handling involves short-distance movement within the confines of a building or between a building and a transportation vehicle. It uses a wide range of manual, semi-automated, and automated equipment and includes consideration of the protection, storage, and control of materials throughout their manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, consumption, and disposal. Material handling can be used to create time and place utility through the handling, storage, and control of material, as distinct from manufacturing, which creates form utility by changing the shape, form, and makeup of material.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 10.3%
Plumbing 3.58%
Material Handling 2.38%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's salary.
  • Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
  • Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Project Management
$67,222
22%
Consulting
$66,671
21%
Leadership
$60,059
9%
Organizational Skills
$60,059
9%
Verbal Communication
$58,957
7%
Coordination
$58,957
7%
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Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $60,933. While startup companies pay approximate $51,612.

Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$51,612
Growth Stage51~500$54,565
Established501~5000$58,860
Enterprise5000+$60,933

Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 55% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the MFG Nondurable and Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician positions in Retail & Wholesale or Aerospace & Defense typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
MFG Nondurable$68,875$33.025%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$66,120$32.020%
MFG Durable$63,365$30.015%
Biotechnology$60,610$29.010%
Energy & Utilities$57,855$28.05%

How Education impacts an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technicians enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $53,513 and $58,506).

Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 66.7%
High School 66.7%
Associates 33.3%
Bachelors 0.0%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Salary Growth & Career Path

For an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Senior Waste Water Treatment Technician role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $62,100 - a projected growth of 13% over your current level.

Salary Trends for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician

Salaries for an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $45,367 in 2023 to around $45,572 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$45,367
2024
$45,654
2025
$45,572
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $45,367
2024 $45,654
2025 $45,572
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician

Here are companies hiring for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    20 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    25 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Credit Risk Strategy & Data Science. About the Company. High-growth SMB lender building the next generation of credit decisioning. Industry... more

    25 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    27 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    27 Days Ago

  • USPS

    Columbus, OH

    USPS | Columbus, OH

    The United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking Mail Carriers and City Carrier Assistants (CCA) to deliver mail and packages to residential and business... more

    1 Month Ago

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FAQ about Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician?

The MFG Nondurable industry offers the highest average compensation for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician roles, with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.

2. What water jobs pay the most?

High Paying Water Jobs include roles like Boiler House Operator and Boiler Inspector. For an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician, salaries range from $49,800 to $69,300, with a mid-salary of $58,400. Other positions, such as Pump Installer and Dredge Operator, also offer competitive pay, making the water sector a lucrative field.

3. What state pays wastewater operators the most?

The salary for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technicians ranges from $49,800 to $69,300, with a median of $58,400. While specific cities like Bayville, NJ, and Marietta, GA, report varying hourly rates, the overall compensation for wastewater operators can be significantly higher in certain states, reflecting the demand for skilled technicians in this field.

4. What does a waste water technician do?

A Waste Water Treatment Technician is responsible for maintaining and operating wastewater treatment systems. This includes lubricating, cleaning, and adjusting pumps and valves, as well as monitoring fluid levels. They also record and log test results, gauge readings, and observed conditions, ensuring the efficient flow of wastewater through collection and treatment systems. The salary for this role ranges from $49,800 to $69,300, with a midpoint of $58,400.

5. How much do water treatment engineers make in the US?

The estimated salary for an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician in the US ranges from $49,800 to $69,300 per year, with a median salary of $58,400. These figures reflect the typical earnings for this role, providing a clear picture of compensation in the field.

6. Can technicians make 100k?

Pay for Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technicians typically ranges from $49,800 to $69,300, depending on experience and skill level. While some specialized roles may offer higher salaries, reaching $100k is uncommon in this field. Benefits often include traditional health insurance and other incentives based on performance.

7. How to start a career in wastewater treatment?

To start a career in wastewater treatment, attend a week-long introductory school and pass a certification exam. Most employers require a Grade 1 WWTP operator license or the ability to obtain one within a probationary period. As an Intermediate Waste Water Treatment Technician, you can expect a salary ranging from $49,800 to $69,300, with a mid-range salary of $58,400.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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