Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $29,220 at the median, or about $14.05 an hour. The range runs from $22K at the entry level to $39K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $29,220 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $663/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas
Pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas runs about 51% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $663/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100) 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, San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $22K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $39K or more, a $17K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $29K, rent takes 31.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $663/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/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 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $22K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,310/month. At HUD’s $663/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
Local pay runs 51% below the national median — $29K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas pays $29K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -51%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $29K — below the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR?
The median is $29,220 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $21,840, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $39,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,126/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $663/month, which eats 31.2% 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 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas?
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary is worth about $29,220 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.