Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in North Carolina
$54,620avg. a year
$26.26 an hour · 3,620 employed
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in North Carolina earn an average of $54,620 a year. That is $7,920 (13%) less than the U.S. average of $62,540. The best-paying metro area is Greenville, NC at $63,390.
$51,680Median pay
$26.26Average hourly
+25%Avg. pay since 2020
#38Of 50 states
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators by metro area. Swipe to see all 14.
170 jobs
Greenville, NC
$63,390
$30.48 an hour
270 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$63,340
$30.45 an hour
3370 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$61,580
$29.61 an hour
4640 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$59,500
$28.61 an hour
590 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$59,010
$28.37 an hour
6130 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$58,920
$28.33 an hour
7790 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$58,850
$28.30 an hour
8170 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$58,580
$28.17 an hour
9190 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$53,920
$25.92 an hour
1090 jobs
Asheville, NC
$52,970
$25.47 an hour
1160 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$52,880
$25.42 an hour
12230 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$52,480
$25.23 an hour
1350 jobs
Burlington, NC
$48,060
$23.10 an hour
14170 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$46,740
$22.47 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 North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $55k$55k–$62k$62k–$69k$69k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $62,540 | $30.07 |
| North Carolina | $54,620 | $26.26 |
| Virginia | $60,500 | $29.09 |
| South Carolina | $55,910 | $26.88 |
| Tennessee | $53,790 | $25.86 |
| Georgia | $51,630 | $24.82 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$43,070
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$72,480
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,600
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,720
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,850
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers$81,520
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in North Carolina?
The average is $54,620 a year, and the median is $51,680. That is $7,920 (13%) less than the U.S. average of $62,540.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$26.26 an hour on average; the median is $24.85.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Greenville, NC ($63,390), followed by Jacksonville, NC ($63,340). The lowest average among 14 metro areas with data is Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC ($46,740).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #38 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.