Wastewater Plant Operator Salary in the United States
How much does a Wastewater Plant Operator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Wastewater Plant Operator in the United States is $56,216 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $27.
However, a Wastewater Plant Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $69,591
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $49,460 to $63,217
Key Factors That Influence Wastewater Plant Operator Salaries
A Wastewater 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 Wastewater Plant Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Wastewater 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 Wastewater 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 Wastewater Plant Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $70,905
San Francisco: $70,129
Oakland: $68,651
San Jose, CA$70,905
San Francisco, CA$70,129
Oakland, CA$68,651
New York, NY$64,727
Paramus, NJ$63,940
Queens Village, NY$63,937
Passaic, NJ$63,884
Bergenfield, NJ$63,878
Stamford, CT$63,755
Huntington, NY$63,732
Newark, NJ$63,316
Bridgeport, CT$63,198
Vallejo, CA$63,086
New Brunswick, NJ$63,063
Petaluma, CA$63,030
Middlesex, NJ$62,923
Somerset, NJ$62,883
Santa Cruz, CA$62,810
Boston, MA$62,467
Monterey, CA$62,270
Seattle, WA$62,141
Santa Rosa, CA$62,130
Los Angeles, CA$62,113
Juneau, AK$61,967
Washington, DC$61,905
Orange, CA$61,705
Santa Ana, CA$61,557
Long Beach, CA$61,501
Anaheim, CA$61,489
Anchorage, AK$61,461
Santa Maria, CA$61,293
Everett, WA$61,281
Danbury, CT$61,083
Bremerton, WA$61,006
Tacoma, WA$60,803
New Suffolk, NY$60,802
Sacramento, CA$60,787
Santa Barbara, CA$60,725
Trenton, NJ$60,663
San Diego, CA$60,663
Brockton, MA$60,601
Fairbanks, AK$60,463
Lompoc, CA$60,320
Lowell, MA$60,274
Ventura, CA$60,264
Nashua, NH$60,253
Stockton, CA$60,247
Modesto, CA$59,837
Poughkeepsie, NY$59,713
Olympia, WA$59,606
Kennewick, WA$59,606
New Haven, CT$59,584
Lawrence, MA$59,381
Hartford, CT$59,325
Riverside, CA$59,314
New Bedford, MA$59,257
Richland, WA$59,257
Bakersfield, CA$59,179
San Bernardino, CA$59,156
New Britain, CT$59,151
Atlantic City, NJ$59,151
New London, CT$59,128
Norwich, CT$59,111
Portsmouth, NH$59,100
Boulder, CO$58,981
Portland, OR$58,903
Worcester, MA$58,898
Minneapolis, MN$58,723
Philadelphia, PA$58,645
Honolulu, HI$58,459
Saint Paul, MN$58,432
Vineland, NJ$58,420
Providence, RI$58,257
Chicago, IL$58,094
Bellingham, WA$58,026
Springfield, MA$57,981
Baltimore, MD$57,965
Chico, CA$57,824
Pittsfield, MA$57,672
Manchester, NH$57,565
Spokane, WA$57,318
Denver, CO$57,312
Albany, NY$57,048
Troy, NY$57,026
Nassau, NY$56,966
Schenectady, NY$56,908
Wilmington, DE$56,863
Burlington, VT$56,784
Salem, OR$56,761
Portland, ME$56,587
Yakima, WA$56,531
Rochester, MN$56,357
Reno, NV$56,329
Fresno, CA$56,329
Milwaukee, WI$56,278
Detroit, MI$56,222
Ann Arbor, MI$56,212
Allentown, PA$56,205
Colorado Springs, CO$56,109
Syracuse, NY$56,081
Carson City, NV$56,081
Houston, TX$56,003
Eugene, OR$55,974
Gary, IN$55,907
Springfield, OR$55,862
Bismarck, ND$55,851
Galveston, TX$55,811
Medford, OR$55,727
Fort Collins, CO$55,705
Concord, NH$55,677
Austin, TX$55,660
Mesa, AZ$55,542
Reading, PA$55,536
Phoenix, AZ$55,530
Dallas, TX$55,513
Saint Cloud, MN$55,460
Madison, WI$55,384
Utica, NY$55,232
Rochester, NY$55,142
Des Moines, IA$55,137
Raleigh, NC$55,131
Atlanta, GA$55,047
Battle Creek, MI$55,030
Salt Lake City, UT$55,013
Lancaster, PA$54,929
Harrisburg, PA$54,850
Kansas City, MO$54,794
Champaign, IL$54,783
Kansas City, KS$54,783
Fort Worth, TX$54,777
Columbus, OH$54,768
Boca Raton, FL$54,755
Pittsburgh, PA$54,732
Richmond, VA$54,710
Indianapolis, IN$54,698
Cleveland, OH$54,693
Las Vegas, NV$54,625
Cincinnati, OH$54,625
Petersburg, VA$54,541
Huntsville, AL$54,457
Lansing, MI$54,419
Lebanon, PA$54,412
Pueblo, CO$54,406
Appleton, WI$54,389
Buffalo, NY$54,367
Dayton, OH$54,350
Racine, WI$54,339
Charlotte, NC$54,333
Saint Louis, MO$54,316
York, PA$54,282
Elkhart, IN$54,282
Gastonia, NC$54,272
Billings, MT$54,258
Beaumont, TX$54,243
Lorain, OH$54,232
Benton Harbor, MI$54,221
Toledo, OH$54,209
Binghamton, NY$54,181
Rock Hill, SC$54,176
Rockford, IL$54,147
Springfield, IL$54,125
Elyria, OH$54,119
Fargo, ND$54,119
Flagstaff, AZ$54,080
Fort Lauderdale, FL$54,046
Duluth, MN$54,013
Miami, FL$54,013
Cheyenne, WY$53,973
Grand Forks, ND$53,973
Bangor, ME$53,849
Cedar Rapids, IA$53,788
Durham, NC$53,764
Louisville, KY$53,760
Grand Rapids, MI$53,748
Hialeah, FL$53,743
Casper, WY$53,664
Scranton, PA$53,597
New Orleans, LA$53,580
Virginia Beach, VA$53,574
Akron, OH$53,546
Peoria, IL$53,473
Sarasota, FL$53,462
Nashville, TN$53,422
Omaha, NE$53,422
Green Bay, WI$53,422
Baton Rouge, LA$53,394
Charleston, SC$53,383
Jamestown, NY$53,355
Davenport, IA$53,355
Tucson, AZ$53,327
Saint Petersburg, FL$53,293
Tampa, FL$53,282
Evansville, IN$53,248
Port Arthur, TX$53,248
Bradenton, FL$53,225
Santa Fe, NM$53,124
Orlando, FL$53,023
Clearwater, FL$53,006
Canton, OH$52,888
La Crosse, WI$52,888
Albuquerque, NM$52,854
Newport News, VA$52,849
High Point, NC$52,832
Ogden, UT$52,809
Corpus Christi, TX$52,765
Norfolk, VA$52,731
Laramie, WY$52,731
Rock Island, IL$52,697
Saginaw, MI$52,686
Jacksonville, FL$52,680
Salisbury, NC$52,669
Boise, ID$52,658
Moline, IL$52,630
Fort Myers, FL$52,613
Memphis, TN$52,601
Tulsa, OK$52,573
Waterloo, IA$52,540
Spartanburg, SC$52,483
Lincoln, NE$52,455
Fort Wayne, IN$52,444
Provo, UT$52,438
Cedar Falls, IA$52,371
San Antonio, TX$52,349
Greensboro, NC$52,326
South Bend, IN$52,320
Savannah, GA$52,259
Muskegon, MI$52,236
Birmingham, AL$52,230
Winston Salem, NC$52,203
Lake Charles, LA$52,067
Anderson, IN$52,056
Lexington, KY$52,039
Augusta, GA$52,022
Greenville, SC$52,022
Lima, OH$51,977
Wichita, KS$51,972
Tuscaloosa, AL$51,972
Columbia, SC$51,921
Springfield, OH$51,910
Asheville, NC$51,820
Bloomington, IN$51,781
Knoxville, TN$51,578
Shreveport, LA$51,573
Wilmington, NC$51,500
Roanoke, VA$51,500
Topeka, KS$51,398
Frankfort, KY$51,392
Oklahoma City, OK$51,353
Chillicothe, OH$51,331
Longview, TX$51,325
Melbourne, FL$51,320
Sioux Falls, SD$51,230
Mobile, AL$51,224
Terre Haute, IN$51,202
Altoona, PA$51,168
Amarillo, TX$51,129
Killeen, TX$51,112
Fayetteville, AR$51,067
Chattanooga, TN$51,050
Sioux City, IA$50,999
Idaho Falls, ID$50,988
Lynchburg, VA$50,943
Gainesville, FL$50,870
Portsmouth, OH$50,842
Little Rock, AR$50,831
Lafayette, LA$50,808
Youngstown, OH$50,808
Daytona Beach, FL$50,774
Clarksville, TN$50,769
Pensacola, FL$50,763
Temple, TX$50,759
Hopkinsville, KY$50,595
Erie, PA$50,583
Florence, SC$50,561
Charleston, WV$50,471
Great Falls, MT$50,443
Macon, GA$50,364
Tallahassee, FL$50,358
Fayetteville, NC$50,347
Waco, TX$50,336
Helena, MT$50,297
Pine Bluff, AR$50,275
Vincennes, IN$50,207
Lubbock, TX$50,184
Alamogordo, NM$50,150
Twin Falls, ID$50,100
Rapid City, SD$50,083
Jackson, MS$49,982
Huntington, WV$49,978
Greenville, MS$49,976
Parkersburg, WV$49,919
Montgomery, AL$49,909
Wichita Falls, TX$49,853
Springfield, MO$49,853
Biloxi, MS$49,824
Monroe, LA$49,768
Johnstown, PA$49,729
Sumter, SC$49,706
Columbus, GA$49,701
Pascagoula, MS$49,594
Abilene, TX$49,594
Kingsport, TN$49,448
Albany, GA$49,448
Gulfport, MS$49,431
Alexandria, LA$49,245
Fort Smith, AR$49,105
El Paso, TX$48,953
Las Cruces, NM$48,700
Harlingen, TX$48,557
Pocatello, ID$48,548
Florence, AL$48,475
Brownsville, TX$48,464
Mcallen, TX$48,346
Dothan, AL$48,267
Columbus, MS$47,933
Altus, OK$47,671
Lawton, OK$47,565
Pierre, SD$47,362
What Skills Can Increase a Wastewater Plant Operator'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.
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 Wastewater Plant Operator's salary.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Wastewater Plant Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Wastewater Plant Operator 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, Wastewater Plant Operator positions in Retail & Wholesale or Aerospace & Defense typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Wastewater Plant Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Wastewater Plant Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
MFG Nondurable
$70,270
$34.0
25%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$67,459
$32.0
20%
MFG Durable
$64,649
$31.0
15%
Biotechnology
$61,838
$30.0
10%
Energy & Utilities
$59,027
$28.0
5%
How Education impacts a Wastewater Plant Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Wastewater 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 Wastewater Plant Operator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$53,721
and $58,696).
Wastewater Plant Operator Salaries by Degree Level
Understanding how a Wastewater 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
$49,460
Average$56,216/year
$63,217
$4,122
Average$4,685/month
$5,268
$951
Average$1,081/week
$1,216
$24
Average$27/hour
$30
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$63,217
$5,268
$1,216
$30
Average
$56,216
$4,685
$1,081
$27
25th Percentile
$49,460
$4,122
$951
$24
Salaries of Jobs related to Wastewater Plant Operator
Salaries for a Wastewater Plant Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $46,719 in 2023
to around $46,930 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Wastewater Plant Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Wastewater Plant Operator Over Time
$???
$46,719
$47,014
$46,930
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$46,719
2024
$47,014
2025
$46,930
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Wastewater Plant Operator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Wastewater Plant Operator
Here are companies hiring for Wastewater 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 Wastewater Plant Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Wastewater Plant Operator?
The MFG Nondurable industry offers the highest average compensation for Wastewater Plant Operator roles,
with salaries approximately 25% 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.
