Jobs Similar to Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators
Also called: Water Treatment Plant Operators
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Biomass Plant Technicians, Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators and Gas Plant Operators.
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators: $60,020 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biomass Plant TechniciansSame group | 82% | $102,040Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 2 | Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators | 81% | $77,320+29% | High school |
| 3 | Gas Plant OperatorsSame group | 81% | $87,820+46% | High school |
| 4 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and GaugersSame group | 80% | $96,710+61% | High school |
| 5 | Wellhead Pumpers | 80% | $69,960+17% | High school |
| 6 | Biofuels Processing TechniciansSame group | 79% | $62,470Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 7 | Hydroelectric Plant TechniciansSame group | 79% | $102,040Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 8 | Power Plant OperatorsSame group | 79% | $102,040+70% | High school |
| 9 | Stationary Engineers and Boiler OperatorsSame group | 79% | $78,620+31% | Training or associate |
| 10 | Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers | 78% | $61,770+3% | High school |
| 11 | Nuclear Technicians | 78% | $110,240+84% | Training or associate |
| 12 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 77% | $48,540−19% | High school |
| 13 | Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | 77% | $58,040−3% | High school |
| 14 | Chemical Plant and System OperatorsSame group | 77% | $78,120+30% | High school |
| 15 | Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | 76% | $54,430−9% | High school |
| 16 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 76% | $50,140−16% | High school |
| 17 | Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | 76% | $74,340+24% | Training or associate |
| 18 | Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 76% | $48,250−20% | High school |
| 19 | Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers | 76% | $60,600+1% | High school |
| 20 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | 75% | $46,460−23% | High school |
- 1Biomass Plant Technicians
82% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 2Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators
81% similar · $77,320 (+29%) · High school
- 3Gas Plant Operators
81% similar · $87,820 (+46%) · High school · Same group
- 4Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
80% similar · $96,710 (+61%) · High school · Same group
- 5Wellhead Pumpers
80% similar · $69,960 (+17%) · High school
- 6Biofuels Processing Technicians
79% similar · $62,470 (broader group) · High school · Same group
- 7Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
79% similar · $102,040 (broader group) · Training or associate · Same group
- 8Power Plant Operators
79% similar · $102,040 (+70%) · High school · Same group
- 9Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
79% similar · $78,620 (+31%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 10Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers
78% similar · $61,770 (+3%) · High school
- 11Nuclear Technicians
78% similar · $110,240 (+84%) · Training or associate
- 12Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
77% similar · $48,540 (−19%) · High school
- 13Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
77% similar · $58,040 (−3%) · High school
- 14Chemical Plant and System Operators
77% similar · $78,120 (+30%) · High school · Same group
- 15Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
76% similar · $54,430 (−9%) · High school
- 16Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
76% similar · $50,140 (−16%) · High school
- 17Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door
76% similar · $74,340 (+24%) · Training or associate
- 18Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
76% similar · $48,250 (−20%) · High school
- 19Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers
76% similar · $60,600 (+1%) · High school
- 20Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders
75% similar · $46,460 (−23%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators.
- Power Plant Operators79% similar · $102,040 (+70%)
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers80% similar · $96,710 (+61%)
- Gas Plant Operators81% similar · $87,820 (+46%)
- Chemical Plant and System Operators77% similar · $78,120 (+30%)
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators81% similar · $77,320 (+29%)
- Wellhead Pumpers80% similar · $69,960 (+17%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs for former water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators →
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders (87)
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead Pumpers (85)
- Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (84)
- Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (81)
- Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (81)
- Wellhead Pumpers (81)
- Geothermal Technicians (79)
- Pesticide Handlers, Sprayers, and Applicators, Vegetation (78)
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (77)
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (77)
Questions about jobs like water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators
What jobs are most similar to water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Biomass Plant Technicians (82% similar), Gas Compressor and Gas Pumping Station Operators (81% similar), Gas Plant Operators (81% similar), Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (80% similar) and Wellhead Pumpers (80% similar).
Which jobs like water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Nuclear Technicians ($110,240, +84%; usually training or an associate degree), Power Plant Operators ($102,040, +70%; usually a high school diploma) and Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($96,710, +61%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators ($60,020). Without more preparation than water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators usually need: Power Plant Operators, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers and Gas Plant Operators.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.