National Salary Info » Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Highest Paying Industries for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

The top 100 highest paying industries for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $103,270, natural gas distribution is the highest paying industry for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators. It is followed by metal ore mining industry (average annual salary $65,530). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Natural Gas Distribution	$103,270	$35,630	90
2	Metal Ore Mining	$65,530	$47,350	70
3	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$65,350	$34,490	430
4	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$65,170	$45,800	70
5	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$62,700	$44,080	n/a
6	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$58,500	$36,040	40
7	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$58,450	$30,780	110
8	Educational Services - Privately owned	$57,210	$35,930	50
9	Wholesale Trade	$56,290	$32,750	290
10	Engineering Services	$56,060	$37,210	370
11	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$56,050	$26,450	150
12	Scientific Research and Development Services	$56,050	$26,450	150
13	Chemical Manufacturing	$55,220	$34,200	300
14	Facilities Support Services	$54,780	$42,350	150
15	Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel	$54,520	$39,050	70
16	Federal government, including USPS	$54,310	$47,550	570
17	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$54,310	$47,550	570
18	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$53,220	$35,870	230
19	Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing	$53,090	$29,340	n/a
20	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$52,850	$35,930	110
21	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$52,730	$29,680	130
22	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$52,020	$29,870	500
23	Foundries	$51,660	$33,420	30
24	Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills	$50,410	$35,180	510
25	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$49,690	$29,440	930
26	Paper Manufacturing	$49,440	$34,780	550
27	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$49,050	$33,000	670
28	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$48,290	$26,740	1,750
29	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$48,050	$32,290	50
30	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$47,770	$32,770	380
31	Transportation and Warehousing	$47,700	$33,090	40
32	Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$47,660	$31,990	100
33	Accommodation	$47,200	$27,530	70
34	Accommodation and Food Services	$47,200	$27,530	70
35	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$47,160	$34,670	50
36	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$47,040	$26,290	2,240
37	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$46,990	$26,030	2,840
38	State government, including schools and hospitals	$46,940	$32,740	1,010
39	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$46,910	$28,280	240
40	Administrative and Support Services	$46,810	$24,790	600
41	Educational Services - Local government owned	$46,620	$19,310	70
42	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$46,110	$30,550	250
43	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$45,710	$32,280	370
44	Educational Services	$45,550	$31,630	440
45	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$45,530	$28,960	60
46	Elementary and Secondary Schools	$45,430	$25,980	50
47	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$45,430	$29,870	70
48	Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing	$45,310	$31,750	60
49	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$44,770	$33,470	30
50	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$44,750	$33,360	30
51	Hospitals - Privately owned	$44,750	$33,360	30
52	Traveler Accommodation	$44,670	$31,950	30
53	Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing	$44,590	$33,670	60
54	Elementary and Secondary Schools - Local government owned	$44,540	$25,420	50
55	Educational Services - State government owned	$44,230	$31,780	320
56	Oil and Gas Extraction	$44,200	$33,010	60
57	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$44,170	$26,900	88,230
58	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$44,170	$26,890	87,790
59	Federal, State, and Local Government	$44,170	$26,890	87,790
60	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$44,160	$31,880	320
61	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$44,030	$26,820	86,640
62	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$44,030	$26,820	86,550
63	Employment Services	$43,910	$22,300	380
64	Converted Paper Product Manufacturing	$43,810	$28,890	40
65	Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries	$43,580	$24,480	50
66	Specialty Trade Contractors	$43,580	$38,470	90
67	Other Food Manufacturing	$43,430	$26,060	100
68	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$43,410	$27,850	270
69	Temporary Help Services	$43,380	$21,660	250
70	Utilities	$43,310	$24,790	13,660
71	Mining	$43,290	$29,760	380
72	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$43,240	$25,230	60
73	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$43,180	$37,880	80
74	Building Equipment Contractors	$43,180	$37,880	80
75	Machinery Manufacturing	$43,150	$30,990	140
76	Manufacturing	$42,730	$27,310	3,870
77	Water, Sewage and Other Systems	$42,730	$24,550	13,140
78	Beverage Manufacturing	$42,650	$29,530	290
79	Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing	$42,650	$29,530	290
80	Waste Collection	$42,430	$27,060	180
81	Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing	$41,770	$22,490	40
82	Dairy Product Manufacturing	$41,590	$28,300	180
83	Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$41,150	$32,010	130
84	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$40,670	$28,910	190
85	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$40,670	$28,910	190
86	Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$40,410	$25,130	310
87	Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing	$39,880	$29,920	220
88	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$39,600	$29,030	240
89	Household Appliance Manufacturing	$39,580	$32,110	30
90	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$38,990	$31,800	160
91	Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing	$38,720	$28,020	120
92	Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$38,520	$28,320	60
93	Testing Laboratories	$38,420	$25,910	n/a
94	Health Care and Social Assistance	$38,380	$16,540	80
95	Support Activities for Mining	$38,340	$27,920	n/a
96	Personal and Laundry Services	$38,290	$29,160	40
97	Drycleaning and Laundry Services	$37,780	$28,920	40
98	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$37,780	$27,270	110
99	Other Support Services	$37,730	$31,850	30
100	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$37,520	$24,590	440