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Water Engineering Salary in the United States

How much does a Water Engineering make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Water Engineering in the United States is $64,137 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $80,164
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,319 to $72,526
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,111
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Water Engineering Salaries

A Water Engineering'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 Engineering Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Water Engineering'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): $50,249
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $56,350
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $63,521
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $97,260
  • Expert (over 8 years): $110,980
Levels Salary
Waste Wat... Level Water Engineering$50,249
Waste Wat... Level Water Engineering$56,350
Water Eng... Level Water Engineering$63,521
Waste Wat... Level Water Engineering$97,260
Waste Wat... Level Water Engineering$110,980
View as Graph

How Do Water Engineering 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 Engineerings. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $71,013.
  • California: $70,744.
  • Massachusetts: $69,801.

Top Paying Cities for Water Engineerings

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: $80,897
  • San Francisco: $80,011
  • Oakland: $78,325

What Skills Can Increase a Water Engineering's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 4.49% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.25% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • 5S (Mentioned in 1.12% Job Postings): Stands for sort, sustain, set in order, standardized and shine. 5 tips that are designed to achieve clean, uncluttered, safe, and well organized workplace for a more systematized work flow.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 4.49%
Microsoft Office 2.25%
5S 1.12%
See More Skills

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 Engineering's salary.

  • Continuous Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 33%.
  • Environmental Engineering: Can increase your salary by up to 33%.
  • Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 24%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Continuous Learning $85,303
33%
Environmental Engineering $85,303
33%
Process Improvement $79,530
24%
Get Latest Data

Water Engineering Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Water Engineering roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average. In contrast, Water Engineering positions in Retail & Wholesale or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Water Engineering as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Water Engineering

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$80,172$39.025%
Energy & Utilities$76,965$37.020%
MFG Durable$73,758$35.015%
Aerospace & Defense$70,551$34.010%
Construction$67,344$32.05%

How Education impacts a Water Engineering's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Water Engineerings 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 Engineering with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $58,266 and $63,207).

Water Engineering Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Water Engineering
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 44.0%
High School 44.0%
Associates 16.0%
Bachelors 40.0%
Masters 0.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
View as Graph

Water Engineering Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Water Engineering'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 September 01, 2026
$57,319
Average $64,137/year
$72,526
$4,777
Average $5,345/month
$6,044
$1,102
Average $1,233/week
$1,395
$28
Average $31/hour
$35
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $72,526 $6,044 $1,395 $35
Average $64,137 $5,345 $1,233 $31
25th Percentile $57,319 $4,777 $1,102 $28

Most common benefits for Water Engineering

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

Common company salaries for Water Engineering

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

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FAQ about Water Engineering

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Water Engineering?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Water Engineering 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.

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.

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