Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $99,010 at the median, or about $47.6 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $119K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 111.13), so that salary is closer to $89,094 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,501/month, about 37.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $99K get you in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue’s Regional Price Parity (111.13). 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits well above the national pay line for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, local pay runs about 65% 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 $2,501/month, which is 38.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.13), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in metros near Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $81K | $81K |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | $79K | $75K |
| Yakima | $75K | $79K |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | $87K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $99K. Top earners bring in $119K or more, a $56K 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $99K, rent takes 38.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,501/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,752/month. At HUD’s $2,501/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Local pay is 65% above the national median — $99K here vs. $60K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue pays $99K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +65%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
The median is $99,010 a year, that works out to about $48 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,540, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $119,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $99K enough to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,503/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,501/month, which eats 38.5% 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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue has a Regional Price Parity of 111.13 (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 $89,094 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.