SOC 51-8031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators — Saginaw
Saginaw, MI · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Saginaw, MI is $52,820 a year, trailing the national median of $60,020 by 12.0%.
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 Saginaw, MI.
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
Median pay for this occupation in Saginaw, MI is $52,820 a year, trailing the national median of $60,020 by 12.0%. Half of workers earn between $51,930 and $57,520. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $44,000 and the ninetieth at $59,530.
The area has 110 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.3 of every thousand jobs. Ann Arbor leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $66,770. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 157th of 282 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,000 | −26.7% |
| 25th | $51,930 | −13.5% |
| Median (50th) | $52,820 | −12.0% |
| 75th | $57,520 | −4.2% |
| 90th | $59,530 | −0.8% |
| Mean | $54,830 | −8.6% |
Other metro areas in Michigan
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ann Arbor | $66,770 | 130 | |
| 2 | Monroe | $65,360 | 60 | |
| 3 | Lansing | $63,260 | 140 | |
| 4 | Detroit | $61,760 | 1,160 | |
| 5 | Grand Rapids | $60,770 | 350 | |
| 6 | Flint | $60,560 | 160 | |
| 7 | Traverse City | $60,390 | 90 | |
| 8 | Niles | $59,940 | 70 | |
| 9 | Bay City | $59,620 | 80 | |
| 10 | Jackson | $59,110 | 50 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Saginaw run 9.1% below the national average, so the median of $52,820 goes as far as $58,108 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 3.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$52,820as reported by BLSLocal price level
90.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,108US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $52,820 a year, 12.0% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $44,000 to $59,530 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 110 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Ann Arbor, at $66,770.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Saginaw, MI?
The median annual wage is $52,820, or $25.40 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 Saginaw, MI is 12.0% 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 Saginaw, MI earns more than $59,530 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $44,000 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 Ann Arbor, at $66,770 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 110 jobs in this occupation in Saginaw, MI. 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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