Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners Salary
The median pay for a septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in Merced, CA is $61,150/year ($29.4/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.28), that's roughly $62,220 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,503/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Merced?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Merced’s Regional Price Parity (98.28). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Merced
Merced sits well above the national pay line for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners, local pay runs about 23% higher than the U.S. median of $50K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,503/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.28) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in metros near Merced, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $55K | $49K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $52K | $49K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $69K | $60K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $47K | $42K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Merced, CA
Entry-level septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $67K | +34% | 300 |
| New Jersey | $65K | +30% | 220 |
| New Hampshire | $65K | +29% | 310 |
| Washington | $63K | +26% | 1,600 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +25% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $61K | +22% | 280 |
| Nevada | $60K | +21% | 220 |
| Iowa | $58K | +16% | 630 |
| Oregon | $58K | +16% | 560 |
| Alaska | $58K | +16% | 280 |
| Wisconsin | $57K | +15% | 1,050 |
| Montana | $57K | +14% | 290 |
| Maryland | $56K | +13% | 160 |
| New York | $55K | +11% | 1,550 |
| California | $55K | +11% | 3,130 |
| Hawaii | $55K | +9% | 80 |
| Illinois | $53K | +7% | 1,210 |
| Massachusetts | $53K | +6% | 620 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | +4% | 1,530 |
| Georgia | $52K | +4% | 590 |
| Colorado | $52K | +4% | 500 |
| Missouri | $52K | +3% | 1,160 |
| Ohio | $51K | +2% | 1,000 |
| Michigan | $50K | +0% | 1,080 |
| Utah | $50K | -0% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -2% | 500 |
| Maine | $49K | -3% | 160 |
| Delaware | $48K | -3% | 30 |
| Indiana | $48K | -3% | 770 |
| Arizona | $48K | -4% | 590 |
| Wyoming | $48K | -5% | 90 |
| Alabama | $47K | -5% | 400 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -5% | 1,020 |
| Virginia | $47K | -5% | 890 |
| Kansas | $47K | -6% | 150 |
| Idaho | $47K | -6% | 230 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -6% | 640 |
| North Dakota | $46K | -7% | 70 |
| Florida | $46K | -7% | 1,330 |
| Vermont | $46K | -7% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $44K | -12% | 280 |
| Texas | $44K | -12% | 2,430 |
| Oklahoma | $41K | -18% | 670 |
| New Mexico | $40K | -19% | 160 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -20% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -21% | 550 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -22% | 230 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -23% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $36K | -27% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Merced numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Merced?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,503/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in Merced?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,840/month. At HUD’s $1,503/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaner a high-paying job in Merced?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $61K here vs. $50K nationally.
How does Merced compare to the national average for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
Merced pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners make in Merced, CA?
The median is $61,150 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,340, and experienced septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners can clear $63,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Merced?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,099/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,503/month, which eats 36.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners salary go in Merced?
Merced has a Regional Price Parity of 98.28 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners salary is worth about $62,220 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.