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Skilled Trades

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Operate or control an entire process or system of machines, often through the use of control boards, to transfer or treat water or wastewater.

Median salary (BLS)

$60,020

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$39k – $91k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

    Entry / Junior

    $39,110

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

    Established

    $60,020

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

    Senior

    $75,540

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Collect and test water and sewage samples, using test equipment and color analysis standards.
  • •Operate and adjust controls on equipment to purify and clarify water, process or dispose of sewage, and generate power.
  • •Record operational data, personnel attendance, or meter and gauge readings on specified forms.
  • •Add chemicals, such as ammonia, chlorine, or lime, to disinfect and deodorize water and other liquids.
  • •Inspect equipment or monitor operating conditions, meters, and gauges to determine load requirements and detect malfunctions.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.