Water Wastewater Technician Salary in the United States

How much does a Water Wastewater Technician make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Water Wastewater Technician in the United States is $56,597 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $71,033
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $50,380 to $64,154
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,720
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
Recruit with AI
Smart Recruiting
View as table View as graph 25% $50,380 10% $44,720 90% $71,033 75% $64,154 $56,597 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Water Wastewater Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $64,154 $5,346 $1,234 $31
Average $56,597 $4,716 $1,088 $27
25th Percentile $50,380 $4,198 $969 $24
Check out Water Wastewater Technician Job Openings in the United States
Water Resources Technician

Town of Palm Beach - WEST PALM BEACH, FL

Water Resources Technician

Town of Palm Beach - WEST PALM BEACH, FL

Registered Veterinary Technician

Bowman Veterinary Hospital - AUBURN, CA

Certified Ophthalmic Technician

Hudson Valley Ophthalmology - HUDSON, NY

Search More Water Wastewater Technician Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Water Wastewater Technician Salaries

A Water Wastewater 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 Water Wastewater Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Water Wastewater 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-Level (less than 1 year): $54,000
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $54,186
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $56,042
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $58,820
  • Expert (over 8 years): $59,931
Levels Salary
Entry Level Water Wastewater Technician$54,000
Intermediate Level Water Wastewater Technician$54,186
Senior Level Water Wastewater Technician$56,042
Specialist Level Water Wastewater Technician$58,820
Expert Level Water Wastewater Technician$59,931
$54,000 0 yr
$54,186 < 2 yrs
$56,042 2-4 yrs
$58,820 5-8 yrs
$59,931 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Water Wastewater Technician Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Water Wastewater Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $62,665.
  • California: $62,427.
  • Massachusetts: $61,595.

Top Paying Cities for Water Wastewater 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: $71,386
  • San Francisco: $70,684
  • Oakland: $69,117

What Skills Can Increase a Water Wastewater 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 a Water Wastewater 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
$69,049
22%
Consulting
$68,483
21%
Leadership
$61,691
9%
Organizational Skills
$61,691
9%
Verbal Communication
$60,559
7%
Coordination
$60,559
7%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Water Wastewater Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Water Wastewater 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 a Water Wastewater Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $53,721 and $58,696).

Water Wastewater Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Water Wastewater 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%
view as graph

Water Wastewater Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Water Wastewater 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 January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Water Wastewater Technician

Salaries for a Water Wastewater Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $46,239 in 2023 to around $46,447 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Water Wastewater Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Water Wastewater Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$46,239
2024
$46,530
2025
$46,447
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $46,239
2024 $46,530
2025 $46,447
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Water Wastewater Technician

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Water Wastewater Technician

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

Find Your Next Water Wastewater Technician Job

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

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst