Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in Salinas, CA
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in the Salinas, CA metro area earn a median of $77,920 a year ($37.46 an hour), based on BLS data for 190 workers.
Pay ranges from $60,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $125,540 for the top 10%. That is 30% higher than the national median of $60,020. Pay here is 5% lower than the California statewide median of $81,770. There are 1.0 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.2× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $87,210, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Salinas, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $60,820 | $29.24 |
| 25th percentile | $74,420 | $35.78 |
| Median | $77,920 | $37.46 |
| 75th percentile | $102,880 | $49.46 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $125,540 | $60.36 |
| Average (mean) | $87,210 | $41.93 |
Half of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,493.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,246.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,996.92 |
| Weekly | $1,498.46 |
| Hourly | $37.46 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $77,920 salary, see how much house you can afford in California at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $125,160 | 1,040 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $108,190 | 460 |
| Vallejo, CA | $106,150 | 200 |
| Napa, CA | $101,540 | 100 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $94,060 | 80 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,960 | 250 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $85,950 | 1,010 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $83,190 | 200 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $82,780 | 1,580 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,460 | 2,230 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $82,200 | 190 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $81,600 | 280 |
| Chico, CA | $80,360 | 100 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $79,630 | 880 |
| Modesto, CA | $78,710 | 210 |
| Yuba City, CA | $78,520 | 100 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $78,350 | 320 |
| Redding, CA | $77,550 | 90 |
| Merced, CA | $76,790 | 110 |
| Visalia, CA | $76,580 | 190 |
| El Centro, CA | $74,790 | 100 |
| Fresno, CA | $67,260 | 400 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $64,640 | 460 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $64,320 | 60 |
Highest-paying states for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $81,770 |
| Nevada | $81,440 |
| Washington | $80,800 |
| Connecticut | $78,820 |
| New Jersey | $78,760 |
| Minnesota | $74,670 |
| Colorado | $74,200 |
| Oregon | $69,720 |
| Massachusetts | $68,550 |
| Illinois | $67,810 |
See Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Salinas, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators | $66,440 | $31.94 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,660 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $69,920 | $33.62 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $44,500 | $21.40 |
| Baker | $41,310 | $19.86 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,000 | $21.15 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $46,650 | $22.43 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $38,230 | $18.38 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $37,250 | $17.91 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $38,140 | $18.34 |
| Food Batchmaker | $36,790 | $17.69 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $42,380 | $20.38 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $58,240 | $28.00 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $52,320 | $25.16 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-8031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Salinas, CA?
The median salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in the Salinas, CA metro area is $77,920 a year, or $37.46 an hour. Pay ranges from $60,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $125,540 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make in Salinas, CA?
The top 10% of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in the Salinas, CA metro area earn at least $125,540 a year. The top 25% earn $102,880 or more.
What is the starting pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Salinas, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $60,820 a year, and a quarter of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn $74,420 or less.
How many water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators work in Salinas, CA?
About 190 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators are employed in the Salinas, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.