Treatment Plant Operator Salary in the United States
How much does a Treatment Plant Operator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Treatment Plant Operator in the United States is $53,178 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.
However, a Treatment Plant Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $66,253
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,809 to $60,022
Key Factors That Influence Treatment Plant Operator Salaries
A Treatment Plant Operator'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 Treatment Plant Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Treatment Plant Operator'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:
How Do Treatment Plant Operator 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 Treatment Plant Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $58,879.
California: $58,656.
Massachusetts: $57,874.
District of Columbia$58,879
California$58,656
Massachusetts$57,874
Washington$57,661
New Jersey$57,640
Alaska$57,566
Connecticut$56,832
New York$56,534
Hawaii$55,582
Rhode Island$55,135
Maryland$54,832
Minnesota$54,417
Colorado$54,258
Illinois$54,205
Oregon$54,003
Delaware$53,854
New Hampshire$53,760
Virginia$53,551
Pennsylvania$52,939
Nevada$52,631
North Dakota$52,530
Michigan$52,370
Wisconsin$52,312
Vermont$52,195
Texas$51,870
Maine$51,849
Arizona$51,817
Ohio$51,780
Georgia$51,291
Indiana$51,046
Wyoming$50,998
Utah$50,924
Iowa$50,892
Kansas$50,636
Louisiana$50,562
North Carolina$50,535
Missouri$50,525
Florida$50,317
Montana$50,206
Nebraska$50,099
Kentucky$50,041
South Carolina$49,828
Tennessee$49,695
Idaho$49,642
New Mexico$49,254
Oklahoma$49,169
Alabama$48,855
South Dakota$48,329
Arkansas$48,041
West Virginia$47,887
Mississippi$47,424
Top Paying Cities for Treatment Plant Operators
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: $67,074
San Francisco: $66,340
Oakland: $64,941
San Jose, CA$67,074
San Francisco, CA$66,340
Oakland, CA$64,941
New York, NY$61,229
Paramus, NJ$60,485
Queens Village, NY$60,482
Passaic, NJ$60,431
Bergenfield, NJ$60,427
Stamford, CT$60,310
Huntington, NY$60,288
Newark, NJ$59,895
Bridgeport, CT$59,783
Vallejo, CA$59,677
New Brunswick, NJ$59,656
Petaluma, CA$59,624
Middlesex, NJ$59,523
Somerset, NJ$59,485
Santa Cruz, CA$59,416
Boston, MA$59,092
Monterey, CA$58,905
Seattle, WA$58,783
Santa Rosa, CA$58,773
Los Angeles, CA$58,757
Juneau, AK$58,619
Washington, DC$58,560
Orange, CA$58,371
Santa Ana, CA$58,230
Long Beach, CA$58,177
Anaheim, CA$58,167
Anchorage, AK$58,140
Santa Maria, CA$57,980
Everett, WA$57,970
Danbury, CT$57,783
Bremerton, WA$57,709
Tacoma, WA$57,518
New Suffolk, NY$57,517
Sacramento, CA$57,502
Santa Barbara, CA$57,443
Trenton, NJ$57,385
San Diego, CA$57,385
Brockton, MA$57,326
Fairbanks, AK$57,196
Lompoc, CA$57,060
Lowell, MA$57,017
Ventura, CA$57,007
Nashua, NH$56,997
Stockton, CA$56,991
Modesto, CA$56,603
Poughkeepsie, NY$56,486
Olympia, WA$56,385
Kennewick, WA$56,385
New Haven, CT$56,364
Lawrence, MA$56,172
Hartford, CT$56,119
Riverside, CA$56,109
New Bedford, MA$56,055
Richland, WA$56,055
Bakersfield, CA$55,981
San Bernardino, CA$55,960
New Britain, CT$55,954
Atlantic City, NJ$55,954
New London, CT$55,933
Norwich, CT$55,917
Portsmouth, NH$55,906
Boulder, CO$55,794
Portland, OR$55,720
Worcester, MA$55,715
Minneapolis, MN$55,550
Philadelphia, PA$55,476
Honolulu, HI$55,300
Saint Paul, MN$55,275
Vineland, NJ$55,263
Providence, RI$55,109
Chicago, IL$54,955
Bellingham, WA$54,891
Springfield, MA$54,848
Baltimore, MD$54,832
Chico, CA$54,699
Pittsfield, MA$54,556
Manchester, NH$54,455
Spokane, WA$54,221
Denver, CO$54,215
Albany, NY$53,965
Troy, NY$53,944
Nassau, NY$53,887
Schenectady, NY$53,832
Wilmington, DE$53,790
Burlington, VT$53,716
Salem, OR$53,694
Portland, ME$53,529
Yakima, WA$53,476
Rochester, MN$53,311
Reno, NV$53,285
Fresno, CA$53,285
Milwaukee, WI$53,237
Detroit, MI$53,184
Ann Arbor, MI$53,175
Allentown, PA$53,168
Colorado Springs, CO$53,077
Syracuse, NY$53,051
Carson City, NV$53,051
Houston, TX$52,976
Eugene, OR$52,950
Gary, IN$52,886
Springfield, OR$52,843
Bismarck, ND$52,833
Galveston, TX$52,796
Medford, OR$52,716
Fort Collins, CO$52,694
Concord, NH$52,668
Austin, TX$52,652
Mesa, AZ$52,540
Reading, PA$52,535
Phoenix, AZ$52,530
Dallas, TX$52,514
Saint Cloud, MN$52,463
Madison, WI$52,391
Utica, NY$52,248
Rochester, NY$52,163
Des Moines, IA$52,157
Raleigh, NC$52,152
Atlanta, GA$52,072
Battle Creek, MI$52,056
Salt Lake City, UT$52,040
Lancaster, PA$51,961
Harrisburg, PA$51,886
Kansas City, MO$51,833
Champaign, IL$51,822
Kansas City, KS$51,822
Fort Worth, TX$51,817
Columbus, OH$51,808
Boca Raton, FL$51,796
Pittsburgh, PA$51,774
Richmond, VA$51,753
Indianapolis, IN$51,743
Cleveland, OH$51,737
Las Vegas, NV$51,673
Cincinnati, OH$51,673
Petersburg, VA$51,594
Huntsville, AL$51,514
Lansing, MI$51,478
Lebanon, PA$51,471
Pueblo, CO$51,466
Appleton, WI$51,450
Buffalo, NY$51,429
Dayton, OH$51,413
Racine, WI$51,402
Charlotte, NC$51,397
Saint Louis, MO$51,381
York, PA$51,349
Elkhart, IN$51,349
Gastonia, NC$51,339
Billings, MT$51,326
Beaumont, TX$51,312
Lorain, OH$51,301
Benton Harbor, MI$51,291
Toledo, OH$51,280
Binghamton, NY$51,253
Rock Hill, SC$51,248
Rockford, IL$51,221
Springfield, IL$51,200
Elyria, OH$51,195
Fargo, ND$51,195
Flagstaff, AZ$51,158
Fort Lauderdale, FL$51,126
Duluth, MN$51,094
Miami, FL$51,094
Cheyenne, WY$51,057
Grand Forks, ND$51,057
Bangor, ME$50,940
Cedar Rapids, IA$50,881
Durham, NC$50,859
Louisville, KY$50,855
Grand Rapids, MI$50,844
Hialeah, FL$50,839
Casper, WY$50,764
Scranton, PA$50,700
New Orleans, LA$50,684
Virginia Beach, VA$50,679
Akron, OH$50,652
Peoria, IL$50,583
Sarasota, FL$50,573
Nashville, TN$50,535
Omaha, NE$50,535
Green Bay, WI$50,535
Baton Rouge, LA$50,509
Charleston, SC$50,498
Jamestown, NY$50,472
Davenport, IA$50,472
Tucson, AZ$50,445
Saint Petersburg, FL$50,413
Tampa, FL$50,402
Evansville, IN$50,371
Port Arthur, TX$50,371
Bradenton, FL$50,349
Santa Fe, NM$50,254
Orlando, FL$50,158
Clearwater, FL$50,142
Canton, OH$50,030
La Crosse, WI$50,030
Albuquerque, NM$49,998
Newport News, VA$49,993
High Point, NC$49,977
Ogden, UT$49,956
Corpus Christi, TX$49,913
Norfolk, VA$49,881
Laramie, WY$49,881
Rock Island, IL$49,849
Saginaw, MI$49,839
Jacksonville, FL$49,833
Salisbury, NC$49,823
Boise, ID$49,812
Moline, IL$49,786
Fort Myers, FL$49,770
Memphis, TN$49,759
Tulsa, OK$49,732
Waterloo, IA$49,701
Spartanburg, SC$49,647
Lincoln, NE$49,621
Fort Wayne, IN$49,610
Provo, UT$49,605
Cedar Falls, IA$49,541
San Antonio, TX$49,520
Greensboro, NC$49,498
South Bend, IN$49,493
Savannah, GA$49,435
Muskegon, MI$49,413
Birmingham, AL$49,408
Winston Salem, NC$49,382
Lake Charles, LA$49,254
Anderson, IN$49,243
Lexington, KY$49,227
Augusta, GA$49,211
Greenville, SC$49,211
Lima, OH$49,169
Wichita, KS$49,163
Tuscaloosa, AL$49,163
Columbia, SC$49,116
Springfield, OH$49,105
Asheville, NC$49,020
Bloomington, IN$48,983
Knoxville, TN$48,791
Shreveport, LA$48,786
Wilmington, NC$48,717
Roanoke, VA$48,717
Topeka, KS$48,621
Frankfort, KY$48,615
Oklahoma City, OK$48,578
Chillicothe, OH$48,557
Longview, TX$48,552
Melbourne, FL$48,547
Sioux Falls, SD$48,461
Mobile, AL$48,456
Terre Haute, IN$48,435
Altoona, PA$48,403
Amarillo, TX$48,366
Killeen, TX$48,350
Fayetteville, AR$48,307
Chattanooga, TN$48,291
Sioux City, IA$48,243
Idaho Falls, ID$48,233
Lynchburg, VA$48,190
Gainesville, FL$48,121
Portsmouth, OH$48,095
Little Rock, AR$48,084
Lafayette, LA$48,063
Youngstown, OH$48,063
Daytona Beach, FL$48,031
Clarksville, TN$48,025
Pensacola, FL$48,020
Temple, TX$48,016
Hopkinsville, KY$47,861
Erie, PA$47,850
Florence, SC$47,829
Charleston, WV$47,744
Great Falls, MT$47,717
Macon, GA$47,643
Tallahassee, FL$47,637
Fayetteville, NC$47,627
Waco, TX$47,616
Helena, MT$47,579
Pine Bluff, AR$47,559
Vincennes, IN$47,494
Lubbock, TX$47,472
Alamogordo, NM$47,440
Twin Falls, ID$47,393
Rapid City, SD$47,377
Jackson, MS$47,281
Huntington, WV$47,277
Greenville, MS$47,276
Parkersburg, WV$47,221
Montgomery, AL$47,212
Wichita Falls, TX$47,159
Springfield, MO$47,159
Biloxi, MS$47,132
Monroe, LA$47,079
Johnstown, PA$47,042
Sumter, SC$47,020
Columbus, GA$47,015
Pascagoula, MS$46,914
Abilene, TX$46,914
Kingsport, TN$46,776
Albany, GA$46,776
Gulfport, MS$46,760
Alexandria, LA$46,584
Fort Smith, AR$46,451
El Paso, TX$46,308
Las Cruces, NM$46,068
Harlingen, TX$45,933
Pocatello, ID$45,925
Florence, AL$45,856
Brownsville, TX$45,845
Mcallen, TX$45,733
Dothan, AL$45,659
Columbus, MS$45,343
Altus, OK$45,095
Lawton, OK$44,994
Pierre, SD$44,803
What Skills Can Increase a Treatment Plant Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Written Communication (Mentioned in 3.83% Job Postings): Communicating information through written media to educate, inform and influence the target audience.
Chemistry (Mentioned in 4.99% Job Postings): Chemistry is the branch of science that deals with the composition, structure, and properties of substances of which matter is composed.
Work Ethic (Mentioned in 2.3% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
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 Treatment Plant Operator's salary.
Microsoft Office: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Adaptability: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Treatment Plant Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Treatment Plant Operator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Construction
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Treatment Plant Operator positions in Internet or Transportation typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Treatment Plant Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Treatment Plant Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities
$69,132
$33.0
30%
Construction
$63,814
$31.0
20%
Telecom
$61,155
$29.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$58,496
$28.0
10%
Pharmaceuticals
$58,496
$28.0
10%
How Education impacts a Treatment Plant Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Treatment Plant Operators 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 Treatment Plant Operator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$55,378
and $59,592).
Understanding how a Treatment Plant Operator'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$48,809
Average$53,178/year
$60,022
$4,067
Average$4,432/month
$5,002
$939
Average$1,023/week
$1,154
$23
Average$26/hour
$29
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$60,022
$5,002
$1,154
$29
Average
$53,178
$4,432
$1,023
$26
25th Percentile
$48,809
$4,067
$939
$23
Salaries of Jobs related to Treatment Plant Operator
Salaries for a Treatment Plant Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $42,200 in 2023
to around $41,830 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Treatment Plant Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Treatment Plant Operator Over Time
$???
$42,200
$42,063
$41,830
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$42,200
2024
$42,063
2025
$41,830
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Treatment Plant Operator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Treatment Plant Operator
Here are companies hiring for Treatment Plant Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Treatment Plant Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Treatment Plant Operator?
The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Treatment Plant Operator roles,
with salaries approximately 30% above the market median.
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.
