Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in New York

In New York, the median pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is $30.76 an hour ($63,990 a year). About 5,300 people work in this job there.

$30.76Median hourly pay

$53,700–$79,670Middle half of workers, yearly

5,300People in this job in New York

That is 7% higher than the U.S. median ($60,020). New York ranks 13th of 50 states and territories for this job’s median pay.

Pay range for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in New York

Earns more than	Hourly	Yearly
10% of workers	$23.24	$48,350
25% of workers	$25.82	$53,700
Half of workers (median)	$30.76	$63,990
75% of workers	$38.30	$79,670
90% of workers	$49.16	$102,260

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in New York metro areas

Metro area	Median yearly pay	People in this job
New York-Newark-Jersey City	$83,320	3,690
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	$63,120	360
Buffalo-Cheektowaga	$63,080	580
Rochester	$62,950	360
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh	$62,550	280
Ithaca	$61,360	40
Elmira	$61,050	40
Syracuse	$60,840	190
Glens Falls	$59,750	100
Kingston	$59,750	140
Binghamton	$55,380	80
Watertown-Fort Drum	$53,690	70
Utica-Rome	$50,920	150

New York unemployment rate: 4.3% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
Training on the job: Long-term on-the-job training (BLS)
Job outlook: -5.7% over ten years, declining · about 10,000 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in New York

Job	Median yearly pay
Civil Engineers	$103,760
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$94,070
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders	$49,640
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	$55,990
Power Plant Operators	$106,990
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners	$55,220

Other job titles for this job

Water Quality TechnicianWater Quality TechWater Treatment SpecialistRelief OperatorSewer OperatorWater Plant OperatorWater Pump OperatorWater PumperBasin TenderBiosolids Management TechnicianBiosolids Management TechClarifying Plant Operator

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: 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; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.