Outpaid

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary
in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI

Median base pay · Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
$61,760
≈ $29.69/hr · BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1,160 jobs
Middle 50%
$49,790–$72,890
vs U.S. median
+3%
Metro rank
#63 of 187

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI metro earn a median of $61,760 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,160 jobs (May 2025). That is 3% above the U.S. median of $60,020 and 4% above the MI statewide median of $59,270. It ranks #63 of 187 metros with published figures for this job.

WATER AND WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT AND SYSTEM OPERATORS · DETROIT-WARREN-DEARBORN, MI · BLS

Full percentile breakdown

BLS OEWS MAY 2025 · DETROIT-WARREN-DEARBORN, MI · ALL EMPLOYERS, ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS
P10$46,720P25$49,790MEDIAN$61,760P75$72,890P90$82,640
BLS · UNITED STATES
P10$39,110P25$48,040MEDIAN$60,020P75$74,780P90$91,060
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    Questions

    What is the average Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in Detroit?

    The BLS median is $61,760 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,160 jobs pay between $49,790 and $72,890. The 10th percentile is $46,720 and the 90th is $82,640.

    Is Detroit a high-paying metro for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators?

    That is 3% above the U.S. median of $60,020 and 4% above the MI statewide median of $59,270. It ranks #63 of 187 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.

    How much do Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators make an hour in Detroit?

    About $29.69 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $61,760 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $23.94–$35.04 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.

    Does this include experience levels?

    BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).

    Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.