How much does a Wastewater Technician make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Wastewater Technician in the United States is $54,873 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.
However, a Wastewater Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $67,929
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,279 to $61,707
Key Factors That Influence Wastewater Technician Salaries
A 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 Wastewater Technician Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a 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:
How Do 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 Wastewater Technicians. 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: $69,212
San Francisco: $68,454
Oakland: $67,011
San Jose, CA$69,212
San Francisco, CA$68,454
Oakland, CA$67,011
New York, NY$63,181
Paramus, NJ$62,412
Queens Village, NY$62,410
Passaic, NJ$62,357
Bergenfield, NJ$62,353
Stamford, CT$62,232
Huntington, NY$62,209
Newark, NJ$61,804
Bridgeport, CT$61,688
Vallejo, CA$61,579
New Brunswick, NJ$61,557
Petaluma, CA$61,524
Middlesex, NJ$61,420
Somerset, NJ$61,381
Santa Cruz, CA$61,310
Boston, MA$60,975
Monterey, CA$60,783
Seattle, WA$60,657
Santa Rosa, CA$60,646
Los Angeles, CA$60,630
Juneau, AK$60,487
Washington, DC$60,426
Orange, CA$60,231
Santa Ana, CA$60,086
Long Beach, CA$60,031
Anaheim, CA$60,020
Anchorage, AK$59,993
Santa Maria, CA$59,828
Everett, WA$59,817
Danbury, CT$59,624
Bremerton, WA$59,549
Tacoma, WA$59,351
New Suffolk, NY$59,350
Sacramento, CA$59,334
Santa Barbara, CA$59,274
Trenton, NJ$59,214
San Diego, CA$59,214
Brockton, MA$59,153
Fairbanks, AK$59,019
Lompoc, CA$58,879
Lowell, MA$58,835
Ventura, CA$58,824
Nashua, NH$58,813
Stockton, CA$58,808
Modesto, CA$58,407
Poughkeepsie, NY$58,286
Olympia, WA$58,182
Kennewick, WA$58,182
New Haven, CT$58,160
Lawrence, MA$57,963
Hartford, CT$57,908
Riverside, CA$57,897
New Bedford, MA$57,842
Richland, WA$57,842
Bakersfield, CA$57,765
San Bernardino, CA$57,743
New Britain, CT$57,738
Atlantic City, NJ$57,738
New London, CT$57,716
Norwich, CT$57,699
Portsmouth, NH$57,688
Boulder, CO$57,572
Portland, OR$57,496
Worcester, MA$57,491
Minneapolis, MN$57,321
Philadelphia, PA$57,244
Honolulu, HI$57,063
Saint Paul, MN$57,036
Vineland, NJ$57,024
Providence, RI$56,865
Chicago, IL$56,706
Bellingham, WA$56,640
Springfield, MA$56,596
Baltimore, MD$56,580
Chico, CA$56,443
Pittsfield, MA$56,295
Manchester, NH$56,190
Spokane, WA$55,949
Denver, CO$55,943
Albany, NY$55,685
Troy, NY$55,663
Nassau, NY$55,605
Schenectady, NY$55,548
Wilmington, DE$55,504
Burlington, VT$55,428
Salem, OR$55,406
Portland, ME$55,235
Yakima, WA$55,181
Rochester, MN$55,010
Reno, NV$54,983
Fresno, CA$54,983
Milwaukee, WI$54,934
Detroit, MI$54,879
Ann Arbor, MI$54,869
Allentown, PA$54,862
Colorado Springs, CO$54,769
Syracuse, NY$54,742
Carson City, NV$54,742
Houston, TX$54,665
Eugene, OR$54,637
Gary, IN$54,571
Springfield, OR$54,528
Bismarck, ND$54,517
Galveston, TX$54,478
Medford, OR$54,396
Fort Collins, CO$54,374
Concord, NH$54,347
Austin, TX$54,330
Mesa, AZ$54,215
Reading, PA$54,209
Phoenix, AZ$54,204
Dallas, TX$54,187
Saint Cloud, MN$54,135
Madison, WI$54,061
Utica, NY$53,913
Rochester, NY$53,825
Des Moines, IA$53,820
Raleigh, NC$53,814
Atlanta, GA$53,732
Battle Creek, MI$53,715
Salt Lake City, UT$53,699
Lancaster, PA$53,617
Harrisburg, PA$53,540
Kansas City, MO$53,485
Champaign, IL$53,474
Kansas City, KS$53,474
Fort Worth, TX$53,469
Columbus, OH$53,459
Boca Raton, FL$53,447
Pittsburgh, PA$53,425
Richmond, VA$53,403
Indianapolis, IN$53,392
Cleveland, OH$53,386
Las Vegas, NV$53,320
Cincinnati, OH$53,320
Petersburg, VA$53,238
Huntsville, AL$53,156
Lansing, MI$53,119
Lebanon, PA$53,112
Pueblo, CO$53,106
Appleton, WI$53,090
Buffalo, NY$53,068
Dayton, OH$53,052
Racine, WI$53,041
Charlotte, NC$53,035
Saint Louis, MO$53,019
York, PA$52,986
Elkhart, IN$52,986
Gastonia, NC$52,975
Billings, MT$52,962
Beaumont, TX$52,947
Lorain, OH$52,936
Benton Harbor, MI$52,925
Toledo, OH$52,914
Binghamton, NY$52,887
Rock Hill, SC$52,881
Rockford, IL$52,854
Springfield, IL$52,832
Elyria, OH$52,827
Fargo, ND$52,827
Flagstaff, AZ$52,788
Fort Lauderdale, FL$52,755
Duluth, MN$52,722
Miami, FL$52,722
Cheyenne, WY$52,684
Grand Forks, ND$52,684
Bangor, ME$52,563
Cedar Rapids, IA$52,503
Durham, NC$52,480
Louisville, KY$52,475
Grand Rapids, MI$52,464
Hialeah, FL$52,459
Casper, WY$52,382
Scranton, PA$52,316
New Orleans, LA$52,300
Virginia Beach, VA$52,294
Akron, OH$52,267
Peoria, IL$52,195
Sarasota, FL$52,185
Nashville, TN$52,146
Omaha, NE$52,146
Green Bay, WI$52,146
Baton Rouge, LA$52,119
Charleston, SC$52,108
Jamestown, NY$52,080
Davenport, IA$52,080
Tucson, AZ$52,053
Saint Petersburg, FL$52,020
Tampa, FL$52,009
Evansville, IN$51,976
Port Arthur, TX$51,976
Bradenton, FL$51,954
Santa Fe, NM$51,855
Orlando, FL$51,756
Clearwater, FL$51,740
Canton, OH$51,625
La Crosse, WI$51,625
Albuquerque, NM$51,592
Newport News, VA$51,586
High Point, NC$51,570
Ogden, UT$51,548
Corpus Christi, TX$51,504
Norfolk, VA$51,471
Laramie, WY$51,471
Rock Island, IL$51,438
Saginaw, MI$51,427
Jacksonville, FL$51,422
Salisbury, NC$51,411
Boise, ID$51,400
Moline, IL$51,372
Fort Myers, FL$51,356
Memphis, TN$51,345
Tulsa, OK$51,318
Waterloo, IA$51,285
Spartanburg, SC$51,230
Lincoln, NE$51,202
Fort Wayne, IN$51,191
Provo, UT$51,186
Cedar Falls, IA$51,120
San Antonio, TX$51,098
Greensboro, NC$51,076
South Bend, IN$51,071
Savannah, GA$51,010
Muskegon, MI$50,988
Birmingham, AL$50,983
Winston Salem, NC$50,956
Lake Charles, LA$50,824
Anderson, IN$50,813
Lexington, KY$50,796
Augusta, GA$50,780
Greenville, SC$50,780
Lima, OH$50,736
Wichita, KS$50,730
Tuscaloosa, AL$50,730
Columbia, SC$50,681
Springfield, OH$50,670
Asheville, NC$50,582
Bloomington, IN$50,544
Knoxville, TN$50,346
Shreveport, LA$50,341
Wilmington, NC$50,269
Roanoke, VA$50,269
Topeka, KS$50,171
Frankfort, KY$50,165
Oklahoma City, OK$50,127
Chillicothe, OH$50,105
Longview, TX$50,099
Melbourne, FL$50,094
Sioux Falls, SD$50,006
Mobile, AL$50,001
Terre Haute, IN$49,979
Altoona, PA$49,946
Amarillo, TX$49,907
Killeen, TX$49,891
Fayetteville, AR$49,847
Chattanooga, TN$49,830
Sioux City, IA$49,781
Idaho Falls, ID$49,770
Lynchburg, VA$49,726
Gainesville, FL$49,655
Portsmouth, OH$49,627
Little Rock, AR$49,616
Lafayette, LA$49,594
Youngstown, OH$49,594
Daytona Beach, FL$49,562
Clarksville, TN$49,556
Pensacola, FL$49,551
Temple, TX$49,547
Hopkinsville, KY$49,386
Erie, PA$49,375
Florence, SC$49,353
Charleston, WV$49,265
Great Falls, MT$49,238
Macon, GA$49,161
Tallahassee, FL$49,156
Fayetteville, NC$49,145
Waco, TX$49,134
Helena, MT$49,095
Pine Bluff, AR$49,074
Vincennes, IN$49,007
Lubbock, TX$48,985
Alamogordo, NM$48,952
Twin Falls, ID$48,903
Rapid City, SD$48,887
Jackson, MS$48,788
Huntington, WV$48,784
Greenville, MS$48,782
Parkersburg, WV$48,726
Montgomery, AL$48,717
Wichita Falls, TX$48,662
Springfield, MO$48,662
Biloxi, MS$48,634
Monroe, LA$48,579
Johnstown, PA$48,541
Sumter, SC$48,519
Columbus, GA$48,513
Pascagoula, MS$48,409
Abilene, TX$48,409
Kingsport, TN$48,267
Albany, GA$48,267
Gulfport, MS$48,250
Alexandria, LA$48,069
Fort Smith, AR$47,932
El Paso, TX$47,784
Las Cruces, NM$47,537
Harlingen, TX$47,397
Pocatello, ID$47,389
Florence, AL$47,317
Brownsville, TX$47,306
Mcallen, TX$47,191
Dothan, AL$47,114
Columbus, MS$46,788
Altus, OK$46,533
Lawton, OK$46,428
Pierre, SD$46,231
What Skills Can Increase a 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.
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 Technician's salary.
Project Management: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
Consulting: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Wastewater Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Wastewater 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, Wastewater Technician positions in Retail & Wholesale or Aerospace & Defense typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Wastewater Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Wastewater Technician
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
MFG Nondurable
$68,592
$33.0
25%
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit
$65,848
$32.0
20%
MFG Durable
$63,104
$30.0
15%
Biotechnology
$60,361
$29.0
10%
Energy & Utilities
$57,617
$28.0
5%
How Education impacts a Wastewater Technician's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many 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 Wastewater Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$53,721
and $58,696).
Wastewater Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a 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.
Salaries for a Wastewater Technician can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $45,603 in 2023
to around $45,809 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Wastewater Technician salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Wastewater Technician Over Time
$???
$45,603
$45,891
$45,809
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$45,603
2024
$45,891
2025
$45,809
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Wastewater Technician
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Wastewater Technician
Here are companies hiring for Wastewater Technician 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 Technician
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Wastewater Technician?
The MFG Nondurable industry offers the highest average compensation for Wastewater Technician 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.
