Water Treatment Plant and System Operators in Virginia

Considering a career as a Water Treatment Plant and System Operator in Virginia?

While jobs for Water Treatment Plant and System Operators in Virginia are decreasing, those who do work in these jobs get paid higher than average.

• Employment for Water Treatment Plant and System Operators in Virginia is expected to decrease.

• Water Treatment Plant and System Operators in Virginia earn lower salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

How Many Water Treatment Plant and System Operators Work in Virginia?

In 2018, there were 3,070 Water Treatment Plant and System Operators working in the state.

There were 2,950 Water Treatment Plant and System Operators employed in this state in 2017.

That’s growth of 120 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 1,960 Water Treatment Plant and System Operators working in it, which means Virginia has more Water Treatment Plant and System Operators than average.

Job Projections for Virginia

Jobs for Water Treatment Plant and System Operators in this state are declining at a rate of 1.0% which is a slower decline than the nationwide estimated projection of %.

Virginia Annual Job Openings

The BLS is projecting 250 annual Water Treatment Plant and System Operators job openings in Virginia, and 3,110 total jobs in the year 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 9,200 annual jobs and 115,400 total jobs in 2026.

What do Water Treatment Plant and System Operators Make in Virginia?

In 2018 wages for Water Treatment Plant and System Operators ranged from $29,130 to $67,270 with $44,390 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $14 to $32.34. The median hourly rate was $21.34.

Workers in this field were paid a median of $20.45 an hour in 2017.

The hourly rate grew by $0.89.

The median salary in Virginia is higher than the nationwide median salary.

Top Virginia Metros for Water Treatment Plant and System Operators

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Water Treatment Plant and System Operators.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	1,820	$53,090
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	420	$41,990
Richmond, VA	350	$45,900
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA	140	$41,820
Charlottesville, VA	100	$44,750
Roanoke, VA	90	$35,990
Lynchburg, VA	80	$35,330
Harrisonburg, VA	70	$40,410
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA	70	$37,970
Winchester, VA-WV	50	$33,240
Staunton-Waynesboro, VA	40	$39,630

Top States for Water Treatment Plant and System Operators Employment

The table below shows the states where most Water Treatment Plant and System Operators work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Texas	12,100	$37,320
California	11,980	$70,550
Florida	6,340	$46,840
Pennsylvania	5,340	$49,220
New York	4,720	$56,260
Ohio	4,610	$49,220
Illinois	4,220	$56,630
Georgia	3,780	$37,450
South Carolina	3,690	$42,150
North Carolina	3,350	$41,820
Indiana	3,180	$41,990
Michigan	3,180	$47,280
Minnesota	3,160	$55,400
Virginia	3,070	$44,390
Tennessee	2,950	$41,110
Washington	2,850	$61,910
Kentucky	2,780	$37,000
Arkansas	2,600	$32,910
Missouri	2,570	$41,840
New Jersey	2,500	$59,900

Below are the states where Water Treatment Plant and System Operators get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
California	$70,550
Connecticut	$66,800
Nevada	$62,640
Washington	$61,910
Alaska	$61,790
New Jersey	$59,900
Massachusetts	$56,650
Illinois	$56,630
New York	$56,260
Oregon	$56,180

What Major Will Prepare You For a Water Treatment Plant and System Operator Career?

• Engineering Technologies
• Environmental Control Technology

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.