Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Oregon, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $69,720 at the median, or about $33.52 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.44), that's roughly $68,059 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,555/month, about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oregon. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $70K get you in Oregon?
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
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What this looks like in Oregon
Oregon sits well above the national pay line for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, local pay runs about 16% 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 $1,555/month, which is 36% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.44) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oregon
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $70K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary by metro in Oregon
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $84K | +20% | 450 |
| Medford | $73K | +5% | 40 |
| Eugene-Springfield | $70K | +1% | 80 |
| Albany | $67K | -4% | 40 |
| Salem | $65K | -6% | 100 |
| Bend | $62K | -11% | 100 |
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oregon?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $70K, rent takes 36% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,555/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Oregon?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,016/month. At HUD’s $1,555/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 Oregon?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $70K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Oregon compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Oregon pays $70K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Oregon?
The median is $69,720 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,270, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $87,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $70K enough to live in Oregon?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,322/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,555/month, which eats 36% 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 Oregon?
Oregon has a Regional Price Parity of 102.44 (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 $68,059 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.