Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Pennsylvania
$64,020avg. a year
$30.78 an hour · 4,660 employed
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Pennsylvania earn an average of $64,020 a year. That is $1,480 (2%) more than the U.S. average of $62,540. The best-paying metro area is Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD at $68,040.
$63,310Median pay
$30.78Average hourly
+16%Avg. pay since 2020
#22Of 50 states
Top-paying Pennsylvania metro areas
Average pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators by metro area. Swipe to see all 15.
11,650 jobs
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
$68,040
$32.71 an hour
21,020 jobs
Pittsburgh, PA
$67,040
$32.23 an hour
3260 jobs
Lancaster, PA
$63,990
$30.77 an hour
4320 jobs
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
$63,790
$30.67 an hour
5280 jobs
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA
$63,680
$30.61 an hour
6190 jobs
Reading, PA
$62,570
$30.08 an hour
7200 jobs
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA
$62,370
$29.98 an hour
8110 jobs
State College, PA
$61,620
$29.62 an hour
9120 jobs
Erie, PA
$61,310
$29.47 an hour
10180 jobs
York-Hanover, PA
$61,280
$29.46 an hour
1140 jobs
Lebanon, PA
$59,970
$28.83 an hour
1270 jobs
Altoona, PA
$59,870
$28.78 an hour
1390 jobs
Chambersburg, PA
$58,850
$28.29 an hour
1470 jobs
Johnstown, PA
$57,790
$27.79 an hour
1550 jobs
Williamsport, PA
$56,720
$27.27 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Pennsylvania, charted
Pay over time
Pennsylvania, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Pennsylvania water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Pennsylvania highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $55k$55k–$62k$62k–$69k$69k+Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| Pennsylvania | $64,020 | $30.78 |
| New Jersey | $77,530 | $37.27 |
| New York | $69,680 | $33.50 |
| Delaware | $66,310 | $31.88 |
| Maryland | $64,570 | $31.04 |
| Ohio | $58,990 | $28.36 |
Related jobs in Pennsylvania
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$45,130
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,250
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$52,040
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$56,300
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$45,360
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$84,720
Average pay, Pennsylvania, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Pennsylvania?
The average is $64,020 a year, and the median is $63,310. That is $1,480 (2%) more than the U.S. average of $62,540.
What is the hourly wage in Pennsylvania?
$30.78 an hour on average; the median is $30.44.
Where in Pennsylvania do they earn the most?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD ($68,040), followed by Pittsburgh, PA ($67,040). The lowest average among 15 metro areas with data is Williamsport, PA ($56,720).
How does Pennsylvania rank?
Pennsylvania ranks #22 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-8031. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.