Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary
In Wisconsin, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $63,550 at the median, or about $30.56 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $67,370 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,202/month, or 28.8% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Wisconsin?
About water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $64K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,202/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary by metro in Wisconsin
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racine-Mount Pleasant | $75K | +18% | 50 |
| Madison | $72K | +13% | 150 |
| Sheboygan | $69K | +9% | 50 |
| Green Bay | $67K | +6% | 140 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $67K | +5% | 440 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah | $66K | +5% | 80 |
| Appleton | $65K | +2% | 90 |
| Kenosha | $65K | +2% | 30 |
| Janesville-Beloit | $64K | +1% | 50 |
| Eau Claire | $64K | +0% | 80 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska | $62K | -3% | 60 |
| Fond du Lac | $60K | -5% | 40 |
| Wausau | $60K | -6% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
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Frequently asked questions
Can a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 28.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/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 Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,020/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
Wisconsin pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Wisconsin?
The median is $63,550 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,340, and experienced water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators can clear $78,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,231/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 28.4% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $67,370 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.