San Francisco water operator salary, 2025
San Francisco is a city in San Francisco County. 228 people worked as water operators for San Francisco in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $164,802, overtime included.
What is the average water operator salary at San Francisco?
Official pay range, wastewater treatment operators1
$136,474 to $173,056
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for wastewater treatment operators, the largest group
Based on the 178 of 228 water operators who worked the full year.
Most of San Francisco's water operators (117 of 228) hold the title Stationary Eng, Sewage Plant, with an official salary of $136,474. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $156,919, $20,445 above the top of the range.
- Median total pay
- $160,830
- the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
- Overtime
- $16,138
- average per full-year water operator
- Starting salary
- $119,366
- bottom of the Sewer Service Worker range
- Average pay rank
- 15th
- of 300 California employers
What does each water operator title at San Francisco pay?
Each bar is the official range for one title, lowest first. The dot marks the average total pay of full-year staff in that title, where at least 5 people stand behind it.1
Wastewater treatment operators
- Stationary Eng, Sewage Plant$156,919
- Sr. Stationary Eng, Sew Plant$191,727
- Chf Stationary Eng, Sew Plant$188,220
Water treatment operators
- Statnry Eng Water Treat Plant$158,270
Wastewater collection operators
- Sewer Service Worker$157,586
- Sewer Repair SupervisorFewer than 5
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does San Francisco pay water operators more than other California employers?
Average total pay of full-year water operators: San Francisco next to every California employer together.1
- San Francisco$164,802
- All employers in California$123,726
Full-year water operators at San Francisco earned $41,076 more than the California average.
Average water operator pay in San Francisco County compared to nearby counties
Average total pay of full-year water operators across all employers in each county that borders San Francisco County, and how much more or less it pays.1
- Alameda County$159,204 average, 10 employers$5,598 less than San Francisco County
- Contra Costa County$147,253 average, 13 employers$17,549 less than San Francisco County
- San Mateo County$135,913 average, 12 employers$28,889 less than San Francisco County
- Marin County$132,983 average, 10 employers$31,819 less than San Francisco County
Where does San Francisco rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1
All 300 California employers
San Francisco ranks 15th of 300, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $116,210
Each bar counts the employers whose average total pay falls in a $5,000 band. The dashed line marks the middle employer.
Pension and health cover at San Francisco
As reported by the city. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year water operator, on top of wages.1
- Pension formula
- 2.3% at 65
- the most common formula among San Francisco's water operators
- Employer pension contribution
- $21,388
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $21,670
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about water operator pay at San Francisco
What is the average water operator salary at San Francisco?
Water operators at San Francisco who worked the full year earned an average of $164,802 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $160,830: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $136,474 to $173,056.
How much overtime do water operators at San Francisco earn?
Full-year water operators were paid an average of $16,138 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $11,060: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do water operators at San Francisco get?
The most common pension formula among San Francisco's water operators is 2.3% at 65, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $21,388 a year into the pension plan.
More public salaries at San Francisco
- Highest water operator salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Police officer salaries at San Francisco$255,036 average total pay
- 911 dispatcher salaries at San Francisco$192,456 average total pay
- Social worker salaries at San Francisco$129,691 average total pay
- Firefighter salaries at San Francisco$188,729 average total pay
- Nurse salaries at San Francisco$240,719 average total pay
- Librarian salaries at San Francisco$126,067 average total pay
- Paramedic and EMT salaries at San FranciscoPay by title
- Teacher salaries in San Francisco CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the San Francisco figures
Every person who held a water operator position at San Francisco at any point in 2025 counts toward the headcount. Pay figures use only people who worked roughly the full year: those whose regular pay reached at least 90% of the bottom of their official range. Total pay is gross wages before tax, including overtime, lump sums and other pay. Averages lead; the median total pay is the middle person's, with half above and half below, and is less pulled by a few people with very high pay. Every figure covers at least 5 people.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by San Francisco.