Downey water operator salary, 2025

Downey is a city in Los Angeles County. 13 people worked as water operators for Downey in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $69,278, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at Downey?

Official pay range1

$43,011 to $73,064

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

Average total pay, full-year water operators1

$69,278

average base pay $58,328

Most of Downey's water operators (9 of 13) hold the title Water System Operator II, with an official range of $51,969 to $64,380. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $66,827, $2,447 above the top of the range.

Water operators
13
8 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$43,011
bottom of the Water System Operator I P/T range
Median total pay
$63,349
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
292nd
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at Downey 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 System Operator I P/T$43,011 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Water System Operator II$51,969 to $64,380 · 9 people
    $66,827
  3. Water System Operator III$58,985 to $73,064 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

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

Does Downey pay water operators more than other employers in Los Angeles County?

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

Full-year water operators at Downey earned $68,531 less than the Los Angeles County average and $54,448 less than the California average.

Where does Downey rank among California employers?

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

All 300 California employers

Downey ranks 292nd of 300, below the middle employer.

Downey
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 26 employers in Los Angeles County

Downey ranks 25th of 26, below the middle employer.

Downey
$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $113,552

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 Downey

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

Pension formula
2% at 62
the most common formula among Downey's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$6,097
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$13,272
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at Downey

What is the average water operator salary at Downey?

Water operators at Downey who worked the full year earned an average of $69,278 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $63,349: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $43,011 to $73,064.

How much overtime do water operators at Downey earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $5,391 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $2,848: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at Downey get?

The most common pension formula among Downey's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $6,097 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in Los Angeles County

Sources for the Downey figures

Every person who held a water operator position at Downey 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 Downey.

How we read the data