Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Salary in the United States

How much does a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee in the United States is $68,129 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $33.

However, a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $85,464
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $59,776 to $77,203
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,172
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
Recruit with AI
Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits
Paid Annually Paid Monthly Paid Semimonthly Paid Biweekly Paid Weekly Paid Hourly
View as table View as graph 25% $59,776 10% $52,172 90% $85,464 75% $77,203 $68,129 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $77,203 $6,434 $1,485 $37
Average $68,129 $5,677 $1,310 $33
25th Percentile $59,776 $4,981 $1,150 $29
Check out Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Job Openings in the United States
WASTERWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR

Department of the Navy - CRANE, IN

WASTERWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATOR

Department of Defense - CRANE, IN

Outpatient Physical Therapist

Greendale Physical Therapy, LLC - WORCESTER, MA

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Residential Mental Health Treatment

Shortridge Academy L T D - MILTON, NH

Search More Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Jobs in the United States
Choose Similar Job
Choose Category
Cost of Living
Average Salary for United States
See it in Action

Key Factors That Influence Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Salaries

A Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee'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): $68,129
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $69,734
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $71,198
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $71,638
  • Expert (over 8 years): $71,931
Levels Salary
Entry Level Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee$68,129
Intermediate Level Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee$69,734
Senior Level Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee$71,198
Specialist Level Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee$71,638
Expert Level Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee$71,931
$68,129 0 yr
$69,734 < 2 yrs
$71,198 2-4 yrs
$71,638 5-8 yrs
$71,931 > 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee 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 Treatment Plant Operator Trainees. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $75,432.
  • California: $75,146.
  • Massachusetts: $74,145.

Top Paying Cities for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainees

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: $85,931
  • San Francisco: $85,086
  • Oakland: $83,199

What Skills Can Increase a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 8.08% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
  • Renewable Energy (Mentioned in 2.07% Job Postings): Using renewable energy sources for more sustainable business operations to drive environmental risk and cost reduction.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 8.08%
Preventative Maintenance 2.87%
Renewable Energy 2.07%
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 Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee's salary.
  • Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 44%.
  • Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Presentation
 $98,105
44%
Integrity
 $77,667
14%
Flexibility
 $76,986
13%
Coordination
 $74,260
9%
Verbal Communication
 $74,260
9%
Planning
 $73,579
8%
Get Latest Data

Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee'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 January 01, 2026
$59,776
Average $68,129/year
$77,203
$4,981
Average $5,677/month
$6,434
$1,150
Average $1,310/week
$1,485
$29
Average $33/hour
$37
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $77,203 $6,434 $1,485 $37
Average $68,129 $5,677 $1,310 $33
25th Percentile $59,776 $4,981 $1,150 $29

Salaries of jobs related to Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee

Salary Trends for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee

Salaries for a Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $65,015 in 2023 to around $64,119 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$65,015
2024
$64,878
2025
$64,119
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $65,015
2024 $64,878
2025 $64,119
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee

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 Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee

Here are companies hiring for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee 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