Salaripedia
English

How much does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator make in Chicago?

$79,290a year

Median yearly pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area. That is $38.12 an hour or $6,608 a month.

Hourly
$38.12
Vs. national median
+32%
Rank among cities
32 of 367
Jobs in the area
1,770
Pay range
Lowest 10%: $50,690Median: $79,290Highest 10%: $110,800
PercentileYearlyHourly
10th$50,690$24.37
25th$62,120$29.87
Median$79,290$38.12
75th$96,250$46.27
90th$110,800$53.28

Other cities in Illinois

Median yearly pay for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators.

Bloomington, IL$79,220
Rockford, IL$77,830
Davenport, IA$63,440
Decatur, IL$62,150
Champaign, IL$61,720
Peoria, IL$60,380
Kankakee, IL$59,870
Springfield, IL$58,990
St. Louis, MO$57,850
Paducah, KY$52,160
Cape Girardeau, MO$50,960
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator salary in Illinois Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operator salary in all states

Related jobs in Chicago

Same field, median yearly pay.

Power Plant Operator$123,500
Stationary Engineer and Boiler Operator$115,800
Petroleum Pump System Operator$111,400
Gas Plant Operator$102,800
Power Distributor and Dispatcher$101,600
Plant and System Operator$80,660
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Worker$76,500
Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmer$69,400
Model Maker$68,890
Structural Metal Fabricator and Fitter$68,280
Salaries for every job in Chicago, IL

Frequently asked questions

How much does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator make an hour in Chicago?

The median hourly pay in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $38.12 ($79,290 a year).

Do water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators make more in Chicago than the national average?

Yes: $79,290 against $60,020 nationally, 32% more.

How does Chicago compare with the rest of Illinois?

The median in Illinois is $67,810, so Chicago pays 17% more.

Where does Chicago rank for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator pay?

32 of 367 metro areas with data.

How much does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operator make starting out in Chicago?

The lowest-paid 10% make $50,690 or less a year; the top 10% make $110,800 or more.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.