SOC 51-8031 · Eugene-Springfield, OR metro

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators Salary in Eugene, OR

The average salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Eugene, Oregon is $74,620 a year ($35.87 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $70,250: half of the 80 people in this job in the Eugene-Springfield, OR metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 19% more than the U.S. average for this job ($62,540).

$74,620average per year

$35.87 / hourMedian $70,250Take-home ≈ $56,017

  • $56K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $70KMedian
  • $82K75th
  • $108K90th

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

80people in this job
+19%vs U.S. average
#2 of 6Oregon metros
102cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay range in Eugene

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $107,900 or more. The middle half of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Eugene earn between $61,610 and $82,060.

  • $56K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $70KMedian
  • $82K75th
  • $108K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$74,620$6,218$35.88
Median$70,250$5,854$33.77
Entry level (25th percentile)$61,610$5,134$29.62
Experienced (75th percentile)$82,060$6,838$39.45

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

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Eugene vs. Oregon and the U.S.

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Eugene earn 6% more than the Oregon average ($70,620) and 19% more than the U.S. average ($62,540). At the median the gap is +17% against the U.S. median of $60,020.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Eugene$74,620$70,250$56,320$107,90080
Oregon$70,620$69,720$50,270$87,8801,240
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 Eugene

On the average salary of $74,620, a single filer in Eugene takes home about $56,017 a year, or $4,668 a month and $2,155 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.

Oregon paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Eugene area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 101.6), so the average $74,620 buys what about $73,468 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Eugene ($49,680). A typical home costs $459,366, or 6.2 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $74,620 is worth in another city

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

Eugene ranks 2nd of 6 Oregon metro areas for this job; Portland pays the most ($79,380).

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

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 Eugene: questions

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

$35.87 an hour on average, and $33.78 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,610, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $56,017 a year ($4,668 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $74,620. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.

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

The average here is 19% 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 Eugene-Springfield, OR (21660). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
  • 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.59, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.59).

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