Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $81,810 at the median, or about $39.33 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.86), so that salary is closer to $76,558 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,511/month, about 48.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $82K actually covers in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury’s Regional Price Parity (106.86). 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.
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury sits well above the national pay line for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, local pay runs about 36% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,511/month, which is 48.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 7% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.86), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in metros near Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | $81K | $79K |
| Waterbury-Shelton | $75K | $76K |
| New Haven | $80K | $77K |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | $79K | $78K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $82K | +36% | 11,630 |
| Nevada | $81K | +36% | N/A |
| Washington | $81K | +35% | 2,030 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +31% | 980 |
| New Jersey | $79K | +31% | 2,500 |
| Minnesota | $75K | +24% | 2,290 |
| Colorado | $74K | +24% | 2,620 |
| Oregon | $70K | +16% | 1,240 |
| Massachusetts | $69K | +14% | 2,510 |
| Illinois | $68K | +13% | 3,500 |
| Hawaii | $66K | +9% | 610 |
| Delaware | $65K | +8% | 340 |
| New York | $64K | +7% | 5,300 |
| Vermont | $64K | +6% | 320 |
| Wisconsin | $64K | +6% | 2,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | +5% | 4,660 |
| Wyoming | $63K | +5% | 500 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +5% | 510 |
| Maryland | $62K | +3% | 1,770 |
| Maine | $62K | +3% | 710 |
| Rhode Island | $62K | +3% | 420 |
| Arizona | $61K | +2% | 3,950 |
| Utah | $61K | +2% | 1,900 |
| Nebraska | $61K | +2% | 740 |
| Iowa | $61K | +2% | 2,370 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +1% | 550 |
| Alaska | $60K | +0% | 750 |
| Virginia | $59K | -1% | 3,460 |
| Michigan | $59K | -1% | 3,400 |
| Ohio | $59K | -1% | 5,870 |
| Florida | $59K | -2% | 7,440 |
| Montana | $58K | -3% | 690 |
| Indiana | $54K | -11% | 3,140 |
| South Dakota | $53K | -11% | 1,060 |
| Idaho | $52K | -13% | 1,480 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -13% | 2,650 |
| Alabama | $52K | -14% | 2,770 |
| North Carolina | $52K | -14% | 3,620 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -16% | 3,140 |
| Missouri | $50K | -17% | 3,000 |
| Texas | $49K | -18% | 10,520 |
| Georgia | $49K | -18% | 3,310 |
| New Mexico | $48K | -20% | 2,110 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -21% | 1,100 |
| Kansas | $47K | -22% | 1,560 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -23% | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -23% | 2,450 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -24% | 2,280 |
| Kentucky | $45K | -24% | 2,540 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -26% | 2,010 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 48.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,511/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,216/month. At HUD’s $2,511/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Local pay is 36% above the national median — $82K here vs. $60K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 7% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $77K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT?
The median is $81,810 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,390, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $99,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,158/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,511/month, which eats 48.7% 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 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary go in Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury?
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury has a Regional Price Parity of 106.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary is worth about $76,558 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.