SOC 51-8031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators — Joplin
Joplin, MO-KS · 7 metro areas compared
In Joplin, MO the median wage is $49,750.
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 Joplin, MO-KS.
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
In Joplin, MO the median wage is $49,750. That is 17.1% lower than the national median of $60,020. Pay ranges from under $34,930 at the tenth percentile to more than $66,380 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $40,350 to $57,870.
Employment stands at 100, or 1.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, St. Louis records the highest median at $57,850. Of the 283 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 134th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $34,930 | −41.8% |
| 25th | $40,350 | −32.8% |
| Median (50th) | $49,750 | −17.1% |
| 75th | $57,870 | −3.6% |
| 90th | $66,380 | +10.6% |
| Mean | $50,520 | −15.8% |
Other metro areas in Missouri
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis | $57,850 | 1,220 | |
| 2 | Kansas City | $52,770 | 740 | |
| 3 | Cape Girardeau | $50,960 | 60 | |
| 4 | St. Joseph | $50,670 | 90 | |
| 5 | Columbia | $50,270 | 90 | |
| 6 | Springfield | $49,270 | 150 | |
| 7 | Jefferson City | $48,550 | 70 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Joplin run 14.3% below the national average, so the median of $49,750 goes as far as $58,051 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 3.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$49,750as reported by BLSLocal price level
85.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,051US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $49,750 a year, 17.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $34,930 to $66,380 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is St. Louis, at $57,850.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Joplin, MO?
The median annual wage is $49,750, or $23.92 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 Joplin, MO is 17.1% lower. 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 Joplin, MO earns more than $66,380 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $34,930 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 St. Louis, at $57,850 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 100 jobs in this occupation in Joplin, MO. 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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