Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Parkersburg-Vienna, WV, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $51,210 at the median, or about $24.62 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.07), which stretches that salary to about $58,815 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $928/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $51K get you in Parkersburg-Vienna?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Parkersburg-Vienna’s Regional Price Parity (87.07). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Parkersburg-Vienna
Pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Parkersburg-Vienna runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $928/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Parkersburg-Vienna, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $47K | $53K |
| Charleston | $47K | $52K |
| Wheeling | $47K | $54K |
| Beckley | $48K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $20K 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 Parkersburg-Vienna numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Parkersburg-Vienna?
Yes — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 26.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $928/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 Parkersburg-Vienna?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,410/month. At HUD’s $928/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Parkersburg-Vienna?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $51K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Parkersburg-Vienna compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Parkersburg-Vienna pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — below the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Parkersburg-Vienna, WV?
The median is $51,210 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,170, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $60,340. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Parkersburg-Vienna?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,451/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $928/month, which eats 26.9% 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 Parkersburg-Vienna?
Parkersburg-Vienna has a Regional Price Parity of 87.07 (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 $58,815 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.