SOC 51-8031.00

    Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

    Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

    Median pay
    $60,020
    Growth
    -5.7%
    Decline
    Openings a year
    10,000
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $39,110
    Median
    $60,020
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $91,060
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    128,490 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators manage machinery and control boards to process and purify water. The career offers a median annual pay of $60,020, with opportunities available nationwide.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    What the work is like

    Operators in this field run systems that clean water and treat wastewater. Their daily tasks center on monitoring processes, inspecting equipment, and evaluating data to ensure operations comply with safety standards. They use control boards to transfer water, document system information, and solve mechanical problems.

    This role is highly realistic and hands-on, requiring strong skills in operation, control, and equipment maintenance. Operators must troubleshoot issues, perform quality control analysis, and repair machinery when necessary. Success in this job requires a solid understanding of public safety, chemistry, mechanics, and mathematics. Key work styles include attention to detail, dependability, and cautiousness to ensure public safety.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires a high school diploma. Most workers prepare through on-the-job training and practical experience. Students interested in this field often study environmental control technologies or technicians in college.

    Professional certifications can help operators advance. Relevant credentials include the Biological Industrial Waste Operator Class II, Certified Biosolids Land Appliers Class I, and Certified Operator Class I, all offered by Water Professionals International. Other options include the Certified Public Works Professional-Management and Certified Public Works Professional-Supervision from the American Public Works Association, as well as the Physical/Chemical Industrial Waste Operator - Class I. Some states also list a license for this work.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for these operators is $60,020. Earnings vary by experience and location, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $39,110 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $91,060.

    There are 128,490 people employed in this field. Although employment is projected to decline by -5.7% from 2025 to 2035, there will still be about 10,000 job openings each year due to retirement and turnover.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    96 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    26 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    10 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    10 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    60 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    87
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    85
    Documenting/Recording Information
    83
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    80
    Processing Information
    79
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    78
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    78
    Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
    77
    Analyzing Data or Information
    77
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    75
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operation and Control
    • Operations Monitoring
    • Monitoring
    • Active Listening
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Repairing
    • Speaking
    • Troubleshooting
    • Complex Problem Solving

    Knowledge

    • Public Safety and Security
    • Mechanical
    • English Language
    • Chemistry
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training
    • Mathematics
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Law and Government

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Near Vision
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Written Comprehension
    • Control Precision
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Selective Attention

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Cautiousness
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Cooperation
    • Perseverance
    • Self-Control
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Adaptability

    Also called

    Basin Tender · Biosolids Management Technician (Biosolids Management Tech) · Clarifying Plant Operator · Disposal Operator · Disposal Plant Operator · Drinking Water Technician (Drinking Water Tech) · Filter Tender · Filterer · Filtration Operator · Filtration Plant Operator

    Career pathway

    From your interests to water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators$60,020 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1The University of Findlay logo
      The University of Findlay

      Findlay, OH · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $94,131
      Median debt
      Not reported
    2. 2Rochester Institute of Technology logo
      Rochester Institute of Technology

      Rochester, NY · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $84,755
      Median debt
      $22,250
    3. 3Appalachian State University logo
      Appalachian State University

      Boone, NC · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $47,866
      4 yrs after
      $69,956
      Median debt
      $22,500
    4. 4North Carolina State University at Raleigh logo
      North Carolina State University at Raleigh

      Raleigh, NC · Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $60,183
      4 yrs after
      $66,491
      Median debt
      Not reported

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work. Showing 12 of 30.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment Management and Recycling Technology/Technician

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    47 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

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    Questions about water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for this career?

    Workers in this field are also called basin tenders, biosolids management technicians, clarifying plant operators, and disposal operators. Other common titles include drinking water technicians, filter tenders, and filtration plant operators.

    What level of education and training is expected?

    A high school diploma is the typical entry-level education needed for this profession. Workers generally gain the necessary skills through on-the-job training and practical experience.

    Are there specific licenses or certifications for this job?

    Yes, some states list a license for this work. Operators can also earn certifications through Water Professionals International or the American Public Works Association to demonstrate their expertise.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.