San Diego County water operator salary, 2025

7 people worked as water operators for San Diego County in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $127,551, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at San Diego County?

Official pay range1

$71,115 to $117,166

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

Average total pay, full-year water operators1

$127,551

average base pay $96,464

Water operators
7
5 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$71,115
bottom of the Wastewater Plant Operator II range
Median total pay
$122,052
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
113th
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at San Diego 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. Wastewater Plant Operator II$71,115 to $87,235 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Wastewater Plant Operator III$82,077 to $100,818 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Wastewater Facilities Supv$95,285 to $117,166 · 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 San Diego County pay water operators more than other employers in San Diego County?

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

Full-year water operators at San Diego County earned $5,745 more than the San Diego County average and $3,825 more than the California average.

Where does San Diego County rank among California employers?

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

All 300 California employers

San Diego County ranks 113th of 300, above the middle employer.

San Diego County
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 20 employers in San Diego County

San Diego County ranks 9th of 20, above the middle employer.

San Diego County
$80k$100k$120k$140k

Middle employer: $121,446

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 San Diego County

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

Pension formula
3% at 60
the most common formula among San Diego County's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$41,623
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$15,242
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at San Diego County

What is the average water operator salary at San Diego County?

Water operators at San Diego County who worked the full year earned an average of $127,551 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $122,052: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $71,115 to $117,166.

How much overtime do water operators at San Diego County earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $29,857 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $22,279: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at San Diego County get?

The most common pension formula among San Diego County's water operators is 3% at 60, as reported by the county. The employer paid an average of $41,623 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in San Diego County

Sources for the San Diego County figures

Every person who held a water operator position at San Diego 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 San Diego County.

How we read the data