Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary
in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
- Middle 50%
- $67,580–$102,810
- vs U.S. median
- +43%
- Metro rank
- #5 of 187
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro earn a median of $85,960 a year, based on BLS estimates for 250 jobs (May 2025). That is 43% above the U.S. median of $60,020 and 5% above the CA statewide median of $81,770. It ranks #5 of 187 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE250 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $125,160 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $108,190 |
| Vallejo, CA | $106,150 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $85,950 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $83,190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $82,780 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $82,460 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $81,600 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SANTA MARIA
Questions
What is the average Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in Santa Maria?
The BLS median is $85,960 a year (May 2025). Half of the 250 jobs pay between $67,580 and $102,810. The 10th percentile is $57,660 and the 90th is $127,550.
Is Santa Maria a high-paying metro for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators?
That is 43% above the U.S. median of $60,020 and 5% above the CA statewide median of $81,770. It ranks #5 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 Santa Maria?
About $41.33 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $85,960 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $32.49–$49.43 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.