Modesto water operator salary, 2025
Modesto is a city in Stanislaus County. 38 people worked as water operators for Modesto in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $101,838, overtime included.
What is the average water operator salary at Modesto?
Official pay range1
$72,925 to $102,710
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest water operator title
Most of Modesto's water operators (27 of 38) hold the title Utilities Plant Operator II, with an official range of $72,925 to $93,059. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $93,000, within the range.
- Water operators
- 38
- 32 of them worked the full year
- Starting salary
- $72,925
- bottom of the Utilities Plant Operator II range
- Median total pay
- $101,630
- the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
- Average pay rank
- 210th
- of 300 California employers
What does each water operator title at Modesto 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
- Utilities Plant Operator II$93,000
- Senior Utilities Plant Operator$121,282
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Modesto pay water operators more than other employers in Stanislaus County?
Average total pay of full-year water operators: Modesto next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Modesto$101,838
- All employers in Stanislaus County$95,852
- All employers in California$123,726
Full-year water operators at Modesto earned $5,986 more than the Stanislaus County average and $21,888 less than the California average.
Where does Modesto rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1
All 300 California employers
Modesto ranks 210th of 300, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $116,210
The 8 employers in Stanislaus County
Modesto ranks 4th of 8, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $94,904
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 Modesto
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 Modesto's water operators
- Employer pension contribution
- $8,023
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $17,337
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about water operator pay at Modesto
What is the average water operator salary at Modesto?
Water operators at Modesto who worked the full year earned an average of $101,838 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $101,630: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $72,925 to $102,710.
How much overtime do water operators at Modesto earn?
Full-year water operators were paid an average of $10,153 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $8,736: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do water operators at Modesto get?
The most common pension formula among Modesto's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $8,023 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in Stanislaus County
- Modesto Irrigation District$145,059 average total pay
- Turlock$116,865 average total pay
- Turlock Irrigation District$104,894 average total pay
- Oakdale Irrigation District$87,969 average total pay
- Patterson Irrigation District$83,843 average total pay
- Patterson$83,417 average total pay
- Ceres$73,027 average total pay
- Hughsonwater operator pay
- Newmanwater operator pay
- Waterfordwater operator pay
- Highest water operator salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in Stanislaus CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Modesto figures
Every person who held a water operator position at Modesto 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.
- State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Modesto.