Alameda County water operator salary, 2025

22 people worked as water operators for Alameda County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $164,851, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at Alameda County?

Official pay range1

$121,472 to $147,722

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest water operator title

Average total pay, full-year water operators1

$164,851

average base pay $140,331

Most of Alameda County's water operators (18 of 22) hold the title Water Plant Operator III Z7, with an official range of $140,608 to $147,722. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $167,322, $19,600 above the top of the range.

Water operators
22
18 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$121,472
bottom of the Water Plant Operator II Z7 range
Median total pay
$166,320
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
14th
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at Alameda County 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

  1. Water Plant Operator II Z7$121,472 to $140,525 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Water Plant Operator III Z7$140,608 to $147,722 · 18 people
    $167,322

official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.

Does Alameda County pay water operators more than other employers in Alameda County?

Average total pay of full-year water operators: Alameda County next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1

Full-year water operators at Alameda County earned $5,647 more than the Alameda County average and $41,125 more than the California average.

Where does Alameda County rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1

All 300 California employers

Alameda County ranks 14th of 300, above the middle employer.

Alameda County
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 10 employers in Alameda County

Alameda County ranks 3rd of 10, above the middle employer.

Alameda County
$140k$160k$180k$200k

Middle employer: $157,428

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 Alameda County

As reported by the county. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year water operator, on top of wages.1

Pension formula
2.5% at 67
the most common formula among Alameda County's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$31,078
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$31,491
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at Alameda County

What is the average water operator salary at Alameda County?

Water operators at Alameda County who worked the full year earned an average of $164,851 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $166,320: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $121,472 to $147,722.

How much overtime do water operators at Alameda County earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $10,994 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $11,526: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at Alameda County get?

The most common pension formula among Alameda County's water operators is 2.5% at 67, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $31,078 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in Alameda County

Sources for the Alameda County figures

Every person who held a water operator position at Alameda County 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 a lot of overtime. Every figure covers at least 5 people.

  1. State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Alameda County.

How we read the data