SOC 51-8031 · Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary in Wenatchee, WA

The average salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Wenatchee, Washington is $82,360 a year ($39.59 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $87,840: half of the 40 people in this job in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 32% more than the U.S. average for this job ($62,540).

$82,360average per year

$39.59 / hourMedian $87,840Take-home ≈ $66,770

  • $63K10th
  • $73K25th
  • $88KMedian
  • $93K75th
  • $101K90th

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

40people in this job
+32%vs U.S. average
#4 of 10Washington metros
104cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay range in Wenatchee

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,230 a year or less, while the top 10% make $101,350 or more. The middle half of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Wenatchee earn between $72,840 and $92,820.

  • $63K10th
  • $73K25th
  • $88KMedian
  • $93K75th
  • $101K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$82,360$6,863$39.60
Median$87,840$7,320$42.23
Entry level (25th percentile)$72,840$6,070$35.02
Experienced (75th percentile)$92,820$7,735$44.62

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

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Wenatchee vs. Washington and the U.S.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Wenatchee earn about the same as the Washington average ($82,770) and 32% more than the U.S. average ($62,540). At the median the gap is +46% against the U.S. median of $60,020.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Wenatchee$82,360$87,840$63,230$101,35040
Washington$82,770$80,800$57,720$106,2702,030
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 Wenatchee

On the average salary of $82,360, a single filer in Wenatchee takes home about $66,770 a year, or $5,564 a month and $2,568 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

Washington paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Wenatchee area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.9), so the average $82,360 buys what about $79,303 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Wenatchee ($49,290). A typical home costs $523,629, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $82,360 is worth in another city

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

Wenatchee ranks 4th of 10 Washington metro areas for this job; Seattle pays the most ($92,380).

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

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 Wenatchee: questions

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

$39.59 an hour on average, and $42.23 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $63,230 a year and the 25th percentile is $72,840, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $66,770 a year ($5,564 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $82,360. Washington has no state income tax; Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.

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

The average here is 32% 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 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA (48300). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
  • 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 no state income tax. Washington's WA Cares (0.58%) and Paid Family and Medical Leave payroll premiums are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.87, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

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