Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Washington
$82,770avg. a year
$39.80 an hour · 2,030 employed
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Washington earn an average of $82,770 a year. That is $20,230 (32%) more than the U.S. average of $62,540. The best-paying metro area is Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $92,380.
$80,800Median pay
$39.80Average hourly
+23%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states
Top-paying Washington metro areas
Average pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators by metro area. Swipe to see all 12.
1830 jobs
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$92,380
$44.41 an hour
270 jobs
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
$87,930
$42.27 an hour
390 jobs
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA
$83,270
$40.03 an hour
440 jobs
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA
$82,360
$39.59 an hour
580 jobs
Bellingham, WA
$81,860
$39.36 an hour
6450 jobs
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
$79,380
$38.17 an hour
7130 jobs
Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
$77,350
$37.19 an hour
890 jobs
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA
$76,950
$36.99 an hour
980 jobs
Kennewick-Richland, WA
$75,340
$36.22 an hour
1030 jobs
Longview-Kelso, WA
$72,250
$34.74 an hour
1190 jobs
Yakima, WA
$71,340
$34.30 an hour
1270 jobs
Lewiston, ID-WA
$56,800
$27.31 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 Washington, charted
Pay over time
Washington, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Washington water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Washington highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $55k$55k–$62k$62k–$69k$69k+Washington
Washington vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| Washington | $82,770 | $39.80 |
| Oregon | $70,620 | $33.95 |
| Idaho | $55,060 | $26.47 |
Related jobs in Washington
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$51,280
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$84,000
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$74,600
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$66,340
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$44,340
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$97,810
Average pay, Washington, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Washington?
The average is $82,770 a year, and the median is $80,800. That is $20,230 (32%) more than the U.S. average of $62,540.
What is the hourly wage in Washington?
$39.80 an hour on average; the median is $38.85.
Where in Washington do they earn the most?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,380), followed by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA ($87,930). The lowest average among 12 metro areas with data is Lewiston, ID-WA ($56,800).
How does Washington rank?
Washington ranks #2 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.