Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Maryland, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $61,870 at the median, or about $29.75 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.76), that's roughly $62,647 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,795/month, about 44.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maryland. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Maryland?
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
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What this looks like in Maryland
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators pay in Maryland tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,795/month, which is 44% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maryland
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $44K spread from bottom to top.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary by metro in Maryland
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $61K | -2% | 910 |
| Lexington Park | $56K | -9% | 80 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $52K | -16% | 100 |
| Salisbury | $47K | -24% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maryland 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 Maryland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 44% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,795/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 Maryland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,699/month. At HUD’s $1,795/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Maryland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Maryland compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Maryland pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Maryland?
The median is $61,870 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,990, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $88,970. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Maryland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,082/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,795/month, which eats 44% 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 Maryland?
Maryland has a Regional Price Parity of 98.76 (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 $62,647 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.