Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Rapid City, SD, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $57,780 at the median, or about $27.78 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.16), which stretches that salary to about $64,805 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,336/month, about 33.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.16). 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 Rapid City
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators pay in Rapid City tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,336/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.16 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in metros near Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $61K | $67K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $77K | $74K |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $67K | $74K |
| Omaha | $63K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $19K 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 Rapid City 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 Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/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 Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,770/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Rapid City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Rapid City pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.16), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $57,780 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,170, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $64,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,039/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 33.1% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 89.16 (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 $64,805 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.