SOC 51-8031 · Bloomington, IL metro

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary in Bloomington, IL

The average salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Bloomington, Illinois is $73,300 a year ($35.24 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $79,220: half of the 60 people in this job in the Bloomington, IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 17% more than the U.S. average for this job ($62,540).

$73,300average per year

$35.24 / hourMedian $79,220Take-home ≈ $56,909

  • $45K10th
  • $65K25th
  • $79KMedian
  • $83K75th
  • $99K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

60people in this job
+17%vs U.S. average
#3 of 8Illinois metros
94cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay range in Bloomington

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,100 a year or less, while the top 10% make $99,230 or more. The middle half of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Bloomington earn between $64,760 and $83,150.

  • $45K10th
  • $65K25th
  • $79KMedian
  • $83K75th
  • $99K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$73,300$6,108$35.24
Median$79,220$6,602$38.09
Entry level (25th percentile)$64,760$5,397$31.13
Experienced (75th percentile)$83,150$6,929$39.98

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Bloomington vs. Illinois and the U.S.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Bloomington earn about the same as the Illinois average ($71,820) and 17% more than the U.S. average ($62,540). At the median the gap is +32% against the U.S. median of $60,020.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Bloomington$73,300$79,220$45,100$99,23060
Illinois$71,820$67,810$42,240$103,6903,500
United States$62,540$60,020$39,110$91,060128,490

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary after taxes in Bloomington

On the average salary of $73,300, a single filer in Bloomington takes home about $56,909 a year, or $4,742 a month and $2,189 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).

Illinois paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Bloomington a good place for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Bloomington area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.5), so the average $73,300 buys what about $78,365 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Bloomington ($53,140). A typical home costs $260,134, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $73,300 is worth in another city

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in other Illinois cities

Bloomington ranks 3rd of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job; Chicago pays the most ($80,080).

All Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salaries in Illinois

Highest-paying cities for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($116,800).

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary by city

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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary in Bloomington: questions

How much do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make an hour in Bloomington?

$35.24 an hour on average, and $38.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary in Bloomington?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $45,100 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,760, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators take-home pay in Bloomington?

About $56,909 a year ($4,742 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,300.

Do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators earn more in Bloomington than elsewhere?

The average here is 17% more than the U.S. average for this job ($62,540).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-8031; area Bloomington, IL (14010). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.8%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.85, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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