Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In College Station-Bryan, TX, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $49,770 at the median, or about $23.93 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.95), which stretches that salary to about $54,722 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,186/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in College Station-Bryan?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by College Station-Bryan’s Regional Price Parity (90.95). 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
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What this looks like in College Station-Bryan
Pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in College Station-Bryan runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,186/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.95 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in metros near College Station-Bryan, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $52K | $53K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $52K | $50K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $62K | $63K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $52K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, College Station-Bryan, TX
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $23K 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 quarterly. We'll email you when College Station-Bryan 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 College Station-Bryan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 33.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,186/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 College Station-Bryan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,300/month. At HUD’s $1,186/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 College Station-Bryan?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $50K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does College Station-Bryan compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
College Station-Bryan pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in College Station-Bryan, TX?
The median is $49,770 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,330, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $61,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in College Station-Bryan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,502/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,186/month, which eats 33.9% 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 College Station-Bryan?
College Station-Bryan has a Regional Price Parity of 90.95 (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 $54,722 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.