Pay distribution $50,240 10th $59,620 25th $84,570 75th $101,260 90th
Half of Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in the Washington metro area earn more than $73,600 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $59,620 and $84,570.
Wage percentiles (BLS OEWS) Wage 10th 25th Median 75th 90th Annual $50,240 $59,620 $73,600 $84,570 $101,260 Hourly $24.16 $28.66 $35.38 $40.66 $48.68
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares Washington metro areathis metro area
$73,600 median for Washington metro area; middle half earns $59,620 to $84,570
$60,020 median for United States; middle half earns $48,040 to $74,780
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is +23% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Where this metro sits nationally $29,220 $61,200 $93,180 $125,160 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR — $29,220 Hot Springs, AR — $35,520 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA — $37,120 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX — $37,800 Valdosta, GA — $37,960 Texarkana, TX-AR — $39,260 Rome, GA — $39,370 Jonesboro, AR — $39,570 Bloomington, IN — $40,010 Lawton, OK — $40,190 Fort Smith, AR-OK — $40,830 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — $41,470 Monroe, LA — $42,440 San Angelo, TX — $42,640 Amarillo, TX — $43,220 Hattiesburg, MS — $43,750 Sebring, FL — $44,420 Athens-Clarke County, GA — $44,580 Hinesville, GA — $44,730 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI — $44,780 Wichita Falls, TX — $44,840 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA — $44,930 Terre Haute, IN — $45,030 Alexandria, LA — $45,050 Lafayette, LA — $45,080 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA — $45,110 Laredo, TX — $45,150 Bowling Green, KY — $45,650 Clarksville, TN-KY — $45,820 Wichita, KS — $45,890 Sumter, SC — $45,930 Gainesville, GA — $46,040 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC — $46,080 Killeen-Temple, TX — $46,170 Morgantown, WV — $46,490 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL — $46,540 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS — $46,550 Charleston, WV — $46,570 Roanoke, VA — $46,620 Abilene, TX — $46,660 Morristown, TN — $46,680 Jackson, MS — $47,070 Burlington, NC — $47,110 Longview, TX — $47,190 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH — $47,210 Salisbury, MD — $47,210 Johnson City, TN — $47,220 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA — $47,260 Lake Charles, LA — $47,270 Victoria, TX — $47,280 Baton Rouge, LA — $47,290 Lubbock, TX — $47,320 Wheeling, WV-OH — $47,330 Las Cruces, NM — $47,350 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR — $47,420 Manhattan, KS — $47,490 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA — $47,560 Albany, GA — $47,650 Mobile, AL — $47,730 Midland, TX — $47,930 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — $48,070 Farmington, NM — $48,080 Winchester, VA-WV — $48,120 Anniston-Oxford, AL — $48,130 Albuquerque, NM — $48,190 Beckley, WV — $48,340 Jefferson City, MO — $48,550 Topeka, KS — $48,570 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC — $48,650 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA — $48,800 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH — $48,830 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ — $48,930 Dothan, AL — $49,040 Jackson, TN — $49,070 Yuma, AZ — $49,090 Lynchburg, VA — $49,180 Springfield, MO — $49,270 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR — $49,280 Lexington-Fayette, KY — $49,280 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL — $49,540 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL — $49,640 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ — $49,730 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC — $49,740 Joplin, MO-KS — $49,750 Muncie, IN — $49,750 College Station-Bryan, TX — $49,770 Winston-Salem, NC — $49,790 Tyler, TX — $49,860 New Orleans-Metairie, LA — $49,930 Tulsa, OK — $49,990 El Paso, TX — $50,030 Sherman-Denison, TX — $50,150 Columbia, MO — $50,270 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC — $50,270 Columbus, GA-AL — $50,310 Oklahoma City, OK — $50,460 Mansfield, OH — $50,610 Youngstown-Warren, OH — $50,660 Cleveland, TN — $50,670 St. Joseph, MO-KS — $50,670 Idaho Falls, ID — $50,680 Asheville, NC — $50,740 Chattanooga, TN-GA — $50,770 Savannah, GA — $50,830 Utica-Rome, NY — $50,920 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL — $50,960 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL — $51,030 Rocky Mount, NC — $51,100 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV — $51,210 Warner Robins, GA — $51,250 Montgomery, AL — $51,470 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL — $51,570 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX — $51,630 Greensboro-High Point, NC — $51,680 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV — $51,700 Elizabethtown, KY — $51,720 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX — $51,780 Charleston-North Charleston, SC — $51,790 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL — $51,820 Tuscaloosa, AL — $51,870 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX — $51,940 Canton-Massillon, OH — $52,150 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA — $52,160 Paducah, KY-IL — $52,160 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL — $52,200 Battle Creek, MI — $52,230 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN — $52,230 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX — $52,510 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ — $52,570 Kansas City, MO-KS — $52,770 Saginaw, MI — $52,820 Macon-Bibb County, GA — $53,330 Michigan City-La Porte, IN — $53,340 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI — $53,490 Punta Gorda, FL — $53,600 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY — $53,690 Memphis, TN-MS-AR — $54,460 Auburn-Opelika, AL — $54,590 Corpus Christi, TX — $54,700 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN — $54,720 Evansville, IN — $55,050 Columbia, SC — $55,070 Tallahassee, FL — $55,170 Binghamton, NY — $55,380 Birmingham, AL — $56,130 Logan, UT-ID — $56,160 Coeur d'Alene, ID — $56,380 Lexington Park, MD — $56,440 Twin Falls, ID — $56,520 Ocala, FL — $56,580 Great Falls, MT — $56,900 Williamsport, PA — $57,090 Gadsden, AL — $57,280 Minot, ND — $57,320 Helena, MT — $57,410 Rapid City, SD — $57,780 Owensboro, KY — $57,810 St. Louis, MO-IL — $57,850 Decatur, AL — $58,270 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL — $58,350 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI — $58,360 Tucson, AZ — $58,390 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN — $58,530 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT — $58,570 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL — $58,590 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL — $58,590 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC — $58,600 Boise City, ID — $58,640 Flagstaff, AZ — $58,680 Toledo, OH — $58,740 Fayetteville, NC — $58,850 Bangor, ME — $58,980 Springfield, IL — $58,990 Wildwood-The Villages, FL — $59,060 Jackson, MI — $59,110 Knoxville, TN — $59,120 Erie, PA — $59,180 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC — $59,610 Bay City, MI — $59,620 Wausau, WI — $59,730 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN — $59,740 Glens Falls, NY — $59,750 Kingston, NY — $59,750 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD — $59,760 Florence, SC — $59,840 Kankakee, IL — $59,870 Niles, MI — $59,940 Richmond, VA — $59,970 State College, PA — $59,990 Fond du Lac, WI — $60,140 Grand Forks, ND-MN — $60,160 Wilmington, NC — $60,190 Dalton, GA — $60,380 Peoria, IL — $60,380 Traverse City, MI — $60,390 Akron, OH — $60,410 Johnstown, PA — $60,500 Billings, MT — $60,530 Chambersburg, PA — $60,530 Lawrence, KS — $60,530 Flint, MI — $60,560 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD — $60,640 Ogden, UT — $60,720 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI — $60,770 Elkhart-Goshen, IN — $60,790 Syracuse, NY — $60,840 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL — $60,890 Kahului-Wailuku, HI — $60,910 Waco, TX — $60,930 Sioux Falls, SD-MN — $60,980 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH — $61,050 Elmira, NY — $61,050 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA — $61,110 Pittsfield, MA — $61,230 Fort Wayne, IN — $61,240 Spartanburg, SC — $61,240 York-Hanover, PA — $61,250 Port St. Lucie, FL — $61,290 Reading, PA — $61,300 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC — $61,360 Ithaca, NY — $61,360 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN — $61,460 Bismarck, ND — $61,530 Huntsville, AL — $61,550 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX — $61,610 Raleigh-Cary, NC — $61,640 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC — $61,660 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN — $61,660 Champaign-Urbana, IL — $61,720 Ames, IA — $61,730 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI — $61,760 Lewiston, ID-WA — $61,830 Harrisonburg, VA — $61,970 Lebanon, PA — $61,980 St. George, UT — $62,000 Decatur, IL — $62,150 Bend, OR — $62,310 Dover, DE — $62,410 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA — $62,440 Charlottesville, VA — $62,460 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT — $62,510 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY — $62,550 Omaha, NE-IA — $62,660 Sandusky, OH — $62,790 Cedar Rapids, IA — $62,800 Grand Island, NE — $62,920 Rochester, NY — $62,950 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL — $62,960 Naples-Marco Island, FL — $63,000 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY — $63,080 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY — $63,120 Trenton-Princeton, NJ — $63,130 Cleveland, OH — $63,260 Lansing-East Lansing, MI — $63,260 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL — $63,440 Iowa City, IA — $63,450 Eau Claire, WI — $63,550 Lancaster, PA — $63,630 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ — $63,660 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA — $63,680 Columbus, OH — $63,700 Portland-South Portland, ME — $63,810 Gainesville, FL — $63,860 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA — $63,890 Greenville, NC — $63,900 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA — $64,000 Manchester-Nashua, NH — $64,100 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ — $64,190 Janesville-Beloit, WI — $64,290 Lima, OH — $64,310 Hanford-Corcoran, CA — $64,320 Dubuque, IA — $64,420 Longview-Kelso, WA — $64,420 Bakersfield-Delano, CA — $64,640 Kenosha, WI — $64,650 Appleton, WI — $64,820 Altoona, PA — $65,110 Salem, OR — $65,270 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ — $65,300 Monroe, MI — $65,360 Pittsburgh, PA — $65,480 Duluth, MN-WI — $65,640 Greeley, CO — $65,840 Colorado Springs, CO — $65,970 Fargo, ND-MN — $65,970 Springfield, MA — $66,200 Kokomo, IN — $66,230 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI — $66,450 Missoula, MT — $66,550 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD — $66,680 Ann Arbor, MI — $66,770 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI — $66,980 Albany, OR — $67,060 Green Bay, WI — $67,190 Worcester, MA — $67,190 Burlington-South Burlington, VT — $67,250 Fresno, CA — $67,260 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA — $67,450 Lincoln, NE — $67,650 Urban Honolulu, HI — $67,840 Jacksonville, NC — $68,120 Sheboygan, WI — $69,440 Mankato, MN — $69,830 Santa Fe, NM — $69,870 Eugene-Springfield, OR — $70,250 Madison, WI — $71,850 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL — $72,010 Medford, OR — $73,270 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH — $73,330 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO — $73,330 Barnstable Town, MA — $73,460 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV — $73,600 Grand Junction, CO — $73,920 Boulder, CO — $74,270 St. Cloud, MN — $74,670 El Centro, CA — $74,790 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI — $74,880 Yakima, WA — $75,290 Waterbury-Shelton, CT — $75,400 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO — $76,150 Bozeman, MT — $76,390 Visalia, CA — $76,580 Merced, CA — $76,790 Jacksonville, FL — $77,150 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI — $77,170 Redding, CA — $77,550 Rockford, IL — $77,830 Salinas, CA — $77,920 Rochester, MN — $78,270 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA — $78,350 Yuba City, CA — $78,520 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT — $78,610 Modesto, CA — $78,710 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA — $79,100 Bloomington, IL — $79,220 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN — $79,290 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA — $79,630 Reno, NV — $79,770 Vineland, NJ — $80,040 New Haven, CT — $80,130 Chico, CA — $80,360 Anchorage, AK — $80,740 Kennewick-Richland, WA — $80,750 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT — $81,100 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA — $81,240 Bellingham, WA — $81,430 Stockton-Lodi, CA — $81,600 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT — $81,810 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA — $82,200 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA — $82,460 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA — $82,780 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA — $83,190 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ — $83,320 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA — $83,860 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV — $84,450 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA — $85,950 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA — $85,960 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA — $87,310 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA — $87,840 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA — $88,270 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA — $94,060 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA — $99,010 Fairbanks-College, AK — $99,840 Napa, CA — $101,540 Vallejo, CA — $106,150 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA — $108,190 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA — $125,160 Washington metro area Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
The Washington metro area has the 56th-highest published median for this occupation among the 367 metro areas where BLS publishes it. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
Keep exploring Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Bakers $38,650 First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $77,990 Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers $36,300 Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,400 Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $61,820 Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $60,670 Highest-paying metro areas for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorss · Highest-paying occupations in Washington Metro
About this estimate These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology .