South Gate water operator salary, 2025

South Gate is a city in Los Angeles County. 13 people worked as water operators for South Gate in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $104,598, overtime included.

What is the average water operator salary at South Gate?

Official pay range, water distribution operators1

$56,736 to $114,296

from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for water distribution operators, the largest group

Average total pay, full-year water operators1

$104,598

average base pay $84,223

The largest group of South Gate's water operators (5 of 13) hold the title Water Distribution Operator III, with an official range of $70,152 to $85,270. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $102,650, $17,380 above the top of the range.

Water operators
13
10 of them worked the full year
Starting salary
$56,736
bottom of the Water Distribution Operator I range
Median total pay
$111,610
the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
Average pay rank
199th
of 300 California employers

What does each water operator title at South Gate 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

Water distribution operators

  1. Water Distribution Operator I$56,736 to $68,963 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Water Distribution Operator II$64,633 to $78,562 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  3. Water Distribution Operator III$70,152 to $85,270 · 5 people
    $102,650
  4. Water Distribution Supervisor$94,031 to $114,296 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5

Water system operators

  1. Water Pump Operator II$73,769 to $89,667 · fewer than 5 people
    fewer than 5
  2. Water Operations Supervisor$94,031 to $114,296 · 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 South Gate pay water operators more than other employers in Los Angeles County?

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

Full-year water operators at South Gate earned $33,211 less than the Los Angeles County average and $19,128 less than the California average.

Where does South Gate rank among California employers?

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

All 300 California employers

South Gate ranks 199th of 300, below the middle employer.

South Gate
$50k$100k$150k$200k

Middle employer: $116,210

The 26 employers in Los Angeles County

South Gate ranks 18th of 26, below the middle employer.

South Gate
$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 South Gate

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

Pension formula
2.7% at 55
the most common formula among South Gate's water operators
Employer pension contribution
$10,071
average per year
Health, dental and vision
$19,600
average paid by the employer per year

Questions about water operator pay at South Gate

What is the average water operator salary at South Gate?

Water operators at South Gate who worked the full year earned an average of $104,598 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $111,610: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $56,736 to $114,296.

How much overtime do water operators at South Gate earn?

Full-year water operators were paid an average of $11,828 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $9,419: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.

What pension do water operators at South Gate get?

The most common pension formula among South Gate's water operators is 2.7% at 55, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $10,071 a year into the pension plan.

More salaries in Los Angeles County

Sources for the South Gate figures

Every person who held a water operator position at South Gate 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 South Gate.

How we read the data