How much do Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?

Percentile spread

For Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators, the published 10th percentile is $65,710 and the 90th percentile is $100,800. The difference is $35,090, which is 39.8% of the median. Ten percent of measured wages fall below the 10th percentile and ten percent fall above the 90th. How to read a percentile.

The middle half of the distribution, from the 25th percentile at $77,850 to the 75th at $100,800, covers $22,950.

The mean annual wage is $87,930, which sits below the median of $88,270. Median and mean measure different points in the same distribution.

National and state comparison

The Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA median is 47.1% higher than the national median of $60,020 for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators. In 2024 national prices the local median is $85,145, which is 41.9% higher than that same national median. The national figure is already in national prices because the United States parity is 100.

It is 9.2% higher than the Washington median of $80,800.

Price-adjusted pay

The 2024 all-items regional price parity for Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is 103.670, with the United States at 100. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released those parities on February 19, 2026. Dividing the May 2025 median of $88,270 by that parity and multiplying by 100 puts Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators at $85,145 in national prices. The wage year and the price year are different. Compare this wage after prices.

Nearby metros

11 other metropolitan areas within 200 miles publish a annual median for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators. Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA ranks 2nd of 12 on that median, counting itself. Distance is the great-circle mileage between Census Bureau internal points (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files, Core Based Statistical Areas, internal points (INTPTLAT, INTPTLONG).).

• Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA is 49 miles away, with a median of $79,100 and employment of 90. That median is 10.4% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $74,900, against $85,145 here.
• Longview-Kelso, WA is 52 miles away, with a median of $64,420 and employment of 30. That median is 27% lower than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $66,041, against $85,145 here.
• Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA is 60 miles away, with a median of $99,010 and employment of 830. That median is 12.2% higher than the median here. In 2024 national prices it is $89,091, against $85,145 here.

Employment share

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators accounts for 0.05% of wage-and-salary employment in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA (70 of 130,300). Nationally the occupation is 0.08% of employment (128,490 of 155,495,730). The local share is 0.65 times the national share. That ratio is the location quotient computed from these May 2025 employment counts. It is not copied from the location-quotient column in the BLS bulk file.