Also called: Septic Tank Servicers
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners build operation and control, operations monitoring and quality control analysis skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (89%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | 89% | $59,850 | +20% | None |
| 2 | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | 87% | $57,430 | +15% | None |
| 3 | Pipelayers | 86% | $49,000 | −2% | None |
| 4 | Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | 85% | $60,190 | +21% | None |
| 5 | Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | 84% | $46,960 | −6% | None |
| 6 | Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | 84% | $60,020 | +20% | None |
| 7 | Helpers--Extraction Workers | 84% | $47,730 | −4% | None |
| 8 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 82% | $61,770 | +24% | None |
| 9 | Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 81% | $58,640 | +18% | None |
| 10 | Construction Laborers | 81% | $47,120 | −6% | None |
Compared with Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners, median $49,880. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
89% skill match · $59,850 · +20% pay
Equipment Maintenance · Operations Analysis
87% skill match · $57,430 · +15% pay
Persuasion · Management of Personnel Resources · Operations Analysis
86% skill match · $49,000 · −2% pay
Installation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (89% skill match, median $59,850), Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (87% skill match, median $57,430) and Pipelayers (86% skill match, median $49,000), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 16 pay more than septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners at the median. The biggest increases: Locomotive Engineers (+63%, $81,410), Pile Driver Operators (+47%, $73,300) and Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (+36%, $67,890).
23 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.