Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Grand Junction, CO, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $73,920 at the median, or about $35.54 an hour. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $74K actually covers in Grand Junction, month by month
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in metros near Grand Junction, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $76K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $66K | , |
| Greeley | $66K | , |
| Boulder | $74K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Junction, CO
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $30K 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
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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 Grand Junction?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 25.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,199/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Grand Junction?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,526/month.
Is water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator a high-paying job in Grand Junction?
Local pay is 23% above the national median — $74K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Grand Junction compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Grand Junction pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +23%.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Grand Junction, CO?
The median is $73,920 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,020, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $82,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Grand Junction?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,761/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,199/month, which eats 25.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary go in Grand Junction?
Grand Junction has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary is worth about $73,920 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.