Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $47,560 at the median, or about $22.87 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $55,014 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,044/month, about 30.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 Kingsport-Bristol
Pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Kingsport-Bristol runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,044/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% 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 Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $60K | $62K |
| Knoxville | $59K | $64K |
| Memphis | $54K | $59K |
| Clarksville | $46K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $65K 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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Frequently asked questions
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 31.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,110/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $48K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $47,560 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,170, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $65,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,354/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 31.1% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $55,014 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.