Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Rhode Island, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $61,820 at the median, or about $29.72 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $85K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $60,745 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 38.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Rhode Island?
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators pay in Rhode Island 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 $1,544/month, which is 37.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) 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, Rhode Island
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $85K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $62K | +1% | 670 |
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 37.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/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 Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,949/month. At HUD’s $1,544/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 Rhode Island?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Rhode Island pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $61K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Rhode Island?
The median is $61,820 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,150, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $84,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,148/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 37.2% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 $60,745 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.