What is the best state to be a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Nevada is the best state for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators: a BLS median of $81,440 is worth $81,457 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 100.0), an index of 136.3 where the average state is 100.

Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. California has the highest headline BLS median for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators at $81,770, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 50 on real pay (index 118.3). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

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Best States to Be a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary goes furthest in Nevada — a $81,440 BLS median worth $81,457 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 136.3).

Which US states are best for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators after cost of living and tax?

For a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Nevada #1: a $81,440 BLS median becomes $81,457 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 136.3). Kentucky ranks last ($48,518, index 81.2). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 50 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Nevada ranks #1 of 50 states for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators. Index 100 = the average state; 136.3 means pay goes 36.3% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

136.3

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Nevada	$81,440	—	100.0	$81,457	136.3
2	Washington	$80,800	—	107.0	$75,505	126.3
3	Connecticut	$78,820	$2,760	103.6	$73,410	122.8
4	Minnesota	$74,670	$3,589	98.6	$72,075	120.6
5	California	$81,770	$3,483	110.7	$70,707	118.3
6	New Jersey	$78,760	$2,827	108.8	$69,788	116.8
7	Colorado	$74,200	$2,605	103.1	$69,475	116.2
8	Wyoming	$63,260	—	92.7	$68,248	114.2
9	North Dakota	$60,470	—	89.0	$67,975	113.7
10	Iowa	$60,990	$2,278	87.8	$66,900	111.9
11	Nebraska	$61,220	$2,087	90.1	$65,628	109.8
12	Wisconsin	$63,550	$2,216	94.1	$65,183	109.1
13	Illinois	$67,810	$3,216	100.0	$64,622	108.1
14	Vermont	$63,640	$1,818	98.0	$63,110	105.6
15	Pennsylvania	$63,310	$1,944	97.6	$62,893	105.2
16	Ohio	$59,170	$845	92.8	$62,868	105.2
17	Oregon	$69,720	$5,297	103.4	$62,329	104.3
18	Delaware	$64,940	$2,945	99.8	$62,114	103.9
19	Massachusetts	$68,550	$3,208	105.8	$61,786	103.4
20	Maine	$61,870	$2,562	97.0	$61,111	102.2
21	New Hampshire	$62,940	—	104.2	$60,423	101.1
22	South Dakota	$53,370	—	88.6	$60,247	100.8
23	Arizona	$61,340	$1,059	100.7	$59,876	100.2
24	Michigan	$59,270	$2,272	96.2	$59,239	99.1
25	Utah	$61,290	$2,789	98.9	$59,174	99.0
26	Montana	$58,040	$2,286	94.6	$58,908	98.6
27	Alaska	$60,160	—	102.4	$58,774	98.3
28	Rhode Island	$61,820	$1,718	102.3	$58,762	98.3
29	Florida	$59,030	—	103.4	$57,081	95.5
30	New York	$63,990	$2,914	107.9	$56,593	94.7
31	Hawaii	$65,560	$3,452	110.0	$56,487	94.5
32	Maryland	$61,870	$2,606	105.0	$56,464	94.5
33	Virginia	$59,420	$2,617	101.1	$56,183	94.0
34	Alabama	$51,870	$2,329	88.8	$55,776	93.3
35	Indiana	$53,540	$1,576	93.3	$55,678	93.2
36	Tennessee	$50,670	—	91.9	$55,154	92.3
37	South Carolina	$52,090	$1,622	93.7	$53,833	90.1
38	Missouri	$49,940	$1,466	90.8	$53,375	89.3
39	North Carolina	$51,680	$1,655	94.3	$53,035	88.7
40	Idaho	$52,210	$1,853	95.5	$52,733	88.2
41	Mississippi	$46,480	$1,240	87.0	$52,028	87.0
42	West Virginia	$47,560	$1,412	89.5	$51,563	86.3
43	Louisiana	$46,210	$1,011	88.2	$51,242	85.7
44	New Mexico	$48,190	$1,152	92.2	$51,011	85.3
45	Texas	$49,460	—	97.1	$50,960	85.3
46	Oklahoma	$45,890	$1,642	87.8	$50,372	84.3
47	Kansas	$46,780	$1,811	90.1	$49,928	83.5
48	Arkansas	$44,320	$1,520	86.9	$49,231	82.4
49	Georgia	$48,930	$1,991	96.3	$48,747	81.6
50	Kentucky	$45,430	$1,686	90.2	$48,518	81.2

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 50 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Nevada, a $81,440 salary is worth about $81,457 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $81,440 · BEA cost of living 100.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $91,933, a $10,476 gain over Nevada.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$91,933	88.6
2	Arkansas	$90,024	86.9
3	Louisiana	$89,558	88.2
4	Mississippi	$89,539	87.0
5	Iowa	$89,270	87.8
6	North Dakota	$89,259	89.0
7	Tennessee	$88,647	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$88,307	87.8
9	Wyoming	$87,862	92.7
10	Alabama	$87,104	88.8
11	Kentucky	$86,716	90.2
12	West Virginia	$86,611	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Nevada is the best state for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators: a BLS median of $81,440 is worth $81,457 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 100.0), an index of 136.3 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. California has the highest headline BLS median for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators at $81,770, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #5 of 50 on real pay (index 118.3). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators salary go least far?: Kentucky ranks last of 50 states for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators: a $45,430 BLS median is worth only $48,518 after tax and cost of living (index 81.2). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.