SOC 51-8031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators — Bozeman
Bozeman, MT · 4 metro areas compared
At $76,390 a year, the median wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Bozeman, MT sits 27.3% above the national figure of $60,020.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -6.5%
- Openings per year
- 10,700
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Bozeman, MT.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $76,390 a year, the median wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Bozeman, MT sits 27.3% above the national figure of $60,020. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $62,270 and $76,390. The lowest tenth earn under $52,470, while the highest tenth earn more than $76,390.
The area has 70 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.9 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Missoula records the highest median at $66,550. Of the 288 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 75th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $52,470 | −12.6% |
| 25th | $62,270 | +3.7% |
| Median (50th) | $76,390 | +27.3% |
| 75th | $76,390 | +27.3% |
| 90th | $76,390 | +27.3% |
| Mean | $68,970 | +14.9% |
Other metro areas in Montana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Missoula | $66,550 | 60 | |
| 2 | Billings | $60,530 | 80 | |
| 3 | Helena | $57,410 | 60 | |
| 4 | Great Falls | $56,900 | 30 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Bozeman run 2.5% above the national average, so the median of $76,390 buys what $74,527 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 24.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$76,390as reported by BLSLocal price level
102.5US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$74,527US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $76,390 a year, 27.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $52,470 to $76,390 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 70 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Missoula, at $66,550.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Bozeman, MT?
The median annual wage is $76,390, or $36.73 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $60,020, so pay in Bozeman, MT is 27.3% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Bozeman, MT earns more than $76,390 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $52,470 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Missoula, at $66,550 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 70 jobs in this occupation in Bozeman, MT. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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