SOC 51-8031 · Springfield, IL metro

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

The average salary for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Springfield, Illinois is $67,240 a year ($32.33 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $58,990: half of the 50 people in this job in the Springfield, IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 8% more than the U.S. average for this job ($62,540).

$67,240average per year

$32.33 / hourMedian $58,990Take-home ≈ $52,946

  • $46K10th
  • $58K25th
  • $59KMedian
  • $83K75th
  • $100K90th

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

50people in this job
+8%vs U.S. average
#4 of 8Illinois metros
93cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay range in Springfield

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,160 a year or less, while the top 10% make $100,060 or more. The middle half of water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Springfield earn between $58,110 and $83,250.

  • $46K10th
  • $58K25th
  • $59KMedian
  • $83K75th
  • $100K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$67,240$5,603$32.33
Median$58,990$4,916$28.36
Entry level (25th percentile)$58,110$4,842$27.94
Experienced (75th percentile)$83,250$6,938$40.02

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

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

Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in Springfield earn 6% less than the Illinois average ($71,820) and 8% more than the U.S. average ($62,540). At the median the gap is -2% against the U.S. median of $60,020.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Springfield$67,240$58,990$46,160$100,06050
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 Springfield

On the average salary of $67,240, a single filer in Springfield takes home about $52,946 a year, or $4,412 a month and $2,036 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% 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 Springfield a good place for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Springfield area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.7), so the average $67,240 buys what about $72,500 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Springfield ($52,670). A typical home costs $200,409, or 3.0 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $67,240 is worth in another city

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

Springfield ranks 4th 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 Springfield: questions

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

$32.33 an hour on average, and $28.36 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,160 a year and the 25th percentile is $58,110, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $52,946 a year ($4,412 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,240.

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

The average here is 8% 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 Springfield, IL (44100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.5%.
  • 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 0.56, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.56).

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