Monterey One Water water operator salary, 2025

Monterey One Water is a joint powers authority in Monterey County: a public agency that two or more public agencies set up by agreement to run a shared service.¹ 20 people worked as water operators for Monterey One Water in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $150,308, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at Monterey One Water?

Official pay range²

$77,480 to $164,278

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

Average total pay, full-year water operators²

$150,308

average base pay $127,374

The largest group of Monterey One Water's water operators (9 of 20) hold the title Operator III, with an official range of $116,605 to $149,011. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $161,487, $12,476 above the top of the range.

Water operators: 20; 20 of them worked the full year
Starting salary: $77,480; bottom of the Operator In Training range
Median total pay: $153,729; the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank: 36th; of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at Monterey One Water 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.²

Operator In Training$77,480 to $98,758 · fewer than 5 people
fewer than 5
Operator-In-Training$91,686 to $117,042 · fewer than 5 people
fewer than 5
Operator I$100,880 to $128,627 · fewer than 5 people
fewer than 5
Operator II$111,114 to $141,835 · fewer than 5 people
fewer than 5
Operator III$116,605 to $149,011 · 9 people
$161,487
Operator III - AWPF$122,678 to $156,478 · fewer than 5 people
fewer than 5
Senior Operator$122,678 to $156,416 · fewer than 5 people
fewer than 5
Senior Operator - AWPF$128,627 to $164,278 · 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 Monterey One Water pay water operators more than other employers in Monterey County?

Average total pay of full-year water operators: Monterey One Water next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.²

Monterey One Water$150,308
All employers in Monterey County$126,404
All employers in California$123,726

Full-year water operators at Monterey One Water earned $23,904 more than the Monterey County average and $26,582 more than the California average.

Where does Monterey One Water rank among California employers?

Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.²

All 300 California employers

Monterey One Water ranks 36th of 300, above the middle employer.

Monterey One Water

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

Middle employer: $116,210

The 5 employers in Monterey County

Monterey One Water ranks 1st of 5, above the middle employer.

Monterey One Water

$100k$120k$140k

Middle employer: $130,281

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 Monterey One Water

As reported by the agency. Contributions are what the employer paid per full-year water operator, on top of wages.²

Pension formula: 2% at 62; the most common formula among Monterey One Water's water operators
Employer pension contribution: $11,141; average per year
Health, dental and vision: $26,712; average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at Monterey One Water

What is the average water operator salary at Monterey One Water?

Water operators at Monterey One Water who worked the full year earned an average of $150,308 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $153,729: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $77,480 to $164,278.

How much overtime do water operators at Monterey One Water earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $7,940 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $4,177: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at Monterey One Water get?

The most common pension formula among Monterey One Water's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the agency. The employer paid an average of $11,141 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in Monterey County

Sources for the Monterey One Water figures

Every person who held a water operator position at Monterey One Water 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.

California Government Code, section 6502: public agencies may jointly exercise their common powers by agreement.
State Controller's Office, Government Compensation in California, 2025: positions, official pay ranges, wages, pension formula and employer contributions as reported by Monterey One Water.

How we read the data