Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in California
$87,190avg. a year
$41.92 an hour · 11,630 employed
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in California earn an average of $87,190 a year. That is $24,650 (39%) more than the U.S. average of $62,540. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $116,800.
$81,770Median pay
$41.92Average hourly
+15%Avg. pay since 2020
#1Of 50 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
11,040 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$116,800
$56.15 an hour
2460 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$106,990
$51.44 an hour
3200 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$99,500
$47.84 an hour
4100 jobs
Napa, CA
$97,320
$46.79 an hour
580 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$90,680
$43.59 an hour
61,010 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$89,620
$43.09 an hour
7250 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$88,190
$42.40 an hour
8190 jobs
Salinas, CA
$87,210
$41.93 an hour
92,230 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$86,460
$41.57 an hour
101,580 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$85,310
$41.02 an hour
11280 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$85,230
$40.98 an hour
12190 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$84,790
$40.76 an hour
13880 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$84,670
$40.71 an hour
14200 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$82,800
$39.81 an hour
15100 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$80,870
$38.88 an hour
16100 jobs
Chico, CA
$79,670
$38.30 an hour
17320 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$79,240
$38.10 an hour
18210 jobs
Modesto, CA
$78,130
$37.56 an hour
1990 jobs
Redding, CA
$78,090
$37.54 an hour
20100 jobs
El Centro, CA
$75,600
$36.35 an hour
21190 jobs
Visalia, CA
$75,050
$36.08 an hour
22460 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$72,730
$34.97 an hour
23110 jobs
Merced, CA
$72,340
$34.78 an hour
24400 jobs
Fresno, CA
$70,660
$33.97 an hour
2560 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$66,450
$31.95 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 California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $55k$55k–$62k$62k–$69k$69k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| California | $87,190 | $41.92 |
| Nevada | $80,880 | $38.89 |
| Oregon | $70,620 | $33.95 |
| Arizona | $61,160 | $29.41 |
Related jobs in California
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$104,560
- Power Plant Operators$110,960
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators$91,010
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$51,060
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$82,000
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,540
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in California?
The average is $87,190 a year, and the median is $81,770. That is $24,650 (39%) more than the U.S. average of $62,540.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$41.92 an hour on average; the median is $39.31.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($116,800), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,990). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Hanford-Corcoran, CA ($66,450).
How does California rank?
California ranks #1 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.