South San Francisco water operator salary, 2025
South San Francisco is a city in San Mateo County. 13 people worked as water operators for South San Francisco in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $152,915, overtime included.
What is the average water operator salary at South San Francisco?
Official pay range, water treatment operators1
$95,618 to $134,202
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest title for water treatment operators, the largest group
The largest group of South San Francisco's water operators (5 of 13) hold the title Plant Operator III, with an official range of $100,381 to $121,992. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $147,922, $25,930 above the top of the range.
- Water operators
- 13
- 12 of them worked the full year
- Starting salary
- $95,618
- bottom of the Plant Operator I range
- Median total pay
- $151,299
- the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
- Average pay rank
- 31st
- of 300 California employers
What does each water operator title at South San Francisco 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 treatment operators
- Plant Operator Ifewer than 5
- Plant Operator IIfewer than 5
- Plant Operator III$147,922
- Lead Plant Operatorfewer than 5
Other operator titles
- Plant Operator IIfewer 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 San Francisco pay water operators more than other employers in San Mateo County?
Average total pay of full-year water operators: South San Francisco next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- South San Francisco$152,915
- All employers in San Mateo County$135,913
- All employers in California$123,726
Full-year water operators at South San Francisco earned $17,002 more than the San Mateo County average and $29,189 more than the California average.
Where does South San Francisco rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1
All 300 California employers
South San Francisco ranks 31st of 300, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $116,210
The 11 employers in San Mateo County
South San Francisco ranks 2nd of 11, above the middle employer.
Middle employer: $133,921
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 San Francisco
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 South San Francisco's water operators
- Employer pension contribution
- $13,717
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $18,855
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about water operator pay at South San Francisco
What is the average water operator salary at South San Francisco?
Water operators at South San Francisco who worked the full year earned an average of $152,915 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $151,299: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $95,618 to $134,202.
How much overtime do water operators at South San Francisco earn?
Full-year water operators were paid an average of $18,373 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $17,528: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do water operators at South San Francisco get?
The most common pension formula among South San Francisco's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $13,717 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Mateo County
- Silicon Valley Clean Water$167,559 average total pay
- Sewer Authority Mid-Coastside$150,713 average total pay
- Daly City$148,540 average total pay
- Mid Peninsula Water District$134,667 average total pay
- Coastside County Water District$133,921 average total pay
- San Bruno$130,816 average total pay
- Highest water operator salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in San Mateo CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the South San Francisco figures
Every person who held a water operator position at South San Francisco 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 South San Francisco.