Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Arizona, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $61,340 at the median, or about $29.49 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.41), that's roughly $63,624 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,437/month, about 35% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arizona. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Arizona?
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
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What this looks like in Arizona
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators pay in Arizona tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,437/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.41) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arizona
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary by metro in Arizona
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $64K | +4% | 2,570 |
| Flagstaff | $59K | -4% | 130 |
| Tucson | $58K | -5% | 260 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman | $53K | -14% | 200 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott | $50K | -19% | 160 |
| Yuma | $49K | -20% | 170 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas | $49K | -20% | 90 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Arizona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arizona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 34.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,437/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 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Arizona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,801/month. At HUD’s $1,437/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator a high-paying job in Arizona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Arizona compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Arizona pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Arizona?
The median is $61,340 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,690, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $80,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Arizona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,149/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,437/month, which eats 34.6% 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 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary go in Arizona?
Arizona has a Regional Price Parity of 96.41 (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 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary is worth about $63,624 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators 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.