Is wastewater the better-paying side of the business, or water? Here is what Texas employers are actually posting, next to the federal benchmark, with the sample sizes shown so you can judge the numbers yourself.
Quick answers
Do water or wastewater operators make more in Texas?
On our board the gap is small. As of Oct 31, 2026, postings that include water work have a median posted pay of $23.22/hr (about $48,300/yr) (n=36), and postings that include wastewater work have $23.76/hr (about $49,400/yr) (n=47). Many postings cover both, so the groups overlap.
What is the median pay for water operators in Texas?
BLS reports a Texas median of $23.78/hr ($49,460/yr) for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (SOC 51-8031), May 2025. BLS does not split water from wastewater in this occupation.
Does holding both a water and a wastewater license help?
Many Texas postings, especially at small cities and contract operators, ask for both licenses or set a deadline to earn both. Holding both opens more of the jobs on our board. Check each posting for its exact requirement.
How is this pay data calculated?
We take the midpoint of each posted pay range, convert it to hourly at 2,080 hours a year, and take the median, using open Texas postings on our board that list pay (Oct 31, 2026).
Posted pay by job type
| Postings that are… | Median | Range of midpoints | Postings with pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water only | $22.71/hr | $19.25/hr – $33.83/hr | 13 |
| Wastewater only | $24.50/hr | $16.45/hr – $41.56/hr | 24 |
| Water and wastewater | $23.73/hr | $15.06/hr – $47.37/hr | 23 |
| Any water work | $23.22/hr | $15.06/hr – $47.37/hr | 36 |
| Any wastewater work | $23.76/hr | $15.06/hr – $47.37/hr | 47 |
| All postings | $23.53/hr | $15.06/hr – $47.37/hr | 60 |
Median of the midpoint of each posted pay range, converted to hourly at 2,080 hours a year, from the 60 of 80 Texas postings on our board that list pay (Oct 31, 2026). Small groups are not representative.
The BLS benchmark
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 10,520 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators (SOC 51-8031) in Texas, with a median wage of $23.78/hr ($49,460/yr) and a mean of $24.96/hr ($51,920/yr), May 2025. BLS combines water and wastewater in one occupation, so it cannot answer “which pays more” on its own. Our posting data is narrower (open jobs only) but splits the two.
Pay by license class
License class moves pay more than water vs wastewater does. Postings that name several classes count in each.
| License | Median | Range of midpoints | Postings with pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class D | $22.23/hr | $18.00/hr – $28.23/hr | 21 |
| Class C | $25.71/hr | $19.35/hr – $47.37/hr | 21 |
| Class B | $29.83/hr | $19.65/hr – $41.47/hr | 13 |
| Class A | $25.31/hr | $25.31/hr – $25.31/hr | 1 |
How to earn more
- Move up a class. See Class C vs Class D and check your next step with the license checker.
- Hold both licenses. TCEQ licenses water and wastewater separately, and many Texas postings ask for both.
- Compare live postings. Browse water operator jobs and wastewater operator jobs; pay is shown when the employer posts it.
Sources
- 30 TAC §30.390, Qualifications for Initial License (water, Subchapter K)
- 30 TAC §30.340, Qualifications for Initial License (wastewater, Subchapter J)
- TCEQ: Occupational Licenses, Water System Operators
- TCEQ: Occupational Licenses, Wastewater Treatment Plant and Collection System Operators
- BLS OEWS May 2025, Texas, SOC 51-8031 Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
- WaterOperatorJobs.org posting data: open Texas jobs on this site that list pay (see method note below).