Vista water operator salary, 2025
Vista is a city in San Diego County. 17 people worked as water operators for Vista in 2025. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $83,925, overtime included.
What is the average water operator salary at Vista?
Official pay range1
$61,572 to $88,764
from the lowest entry salary to the top of the highest water operator title
Most of Vista's water operators (14 of 17) hold the title Wastewater Worker I-II, with an official range of $61,572 to $78,564. Those who worked the full year earned an average of $80,784, $2,220 above the top of the range.
- Water operators
- 17
- 13 of them worked the full year
- Starting salary
- $61,572
- bottom of the Wastewater Worker I-II range
- Median total pay
- $88,224
- the middle water operator: half earned more, half less
- Average pay rank
- 271st
- of 300 California employers
What does each water operator title at Vista 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
- Wastewater Worker I-II$80,784
- Wastewater Worker IIIfewer than 5
official range average total pay, full year. "Fewer than 5" means too few full-year people in that title to show.
Does Vista pay water operators more than other employers in San Diego County?
Average total pay of full-year water operators: Vista next to every employer in the county together, and the whole state.1
- Vista$83,925
- All employers in San Diego County$121,806
- All employers in California$123,726
Full-year water operators at Vista earned $37,881 less than the San Diego County average and $39,801 less than the California average.
Where does Vista rank among California employers?
Every employer with at least 5 full-year water operators, by average total pay.1
All 300 California employers
Vista ranks 271st of 300, below the middle employer.
Middle employer: $116,210
The 20 employers in San Diego County
Vista ranks 20th of 20, below the middle employer.
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 Vista
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 Vista's water operators
- Employer pension contribution
- $9,349
- average per year
- Health, dental and vision
- $17,265
- average paid by the employer per year
Questions about water operator pay at Vista
What is the average water operator salary at Vista?
Water operators at Vista who worked the full year earned an average of $83,925 in 2025, overtime included. The middle water operator earned $88,224: half earned more, half less. The official pay range across its water operator titles runs from $61,572 to $88,764.
How much overtime do water operators at Vista earn?
Full-year water operators were paid an average of $4,459 in overtime in 2025. The middle one was paid $5,208: a few people with a lot of overtime pull the average up.
What pension do water operators at Vista get?
The most common pension formula among Vista's water operators is 2% at 62, as reported by the city. The employer paid an average of $9,349 a year into the pension plan.
More salaries in San Diego County
- Otay Water District$120,056 average total pay
- Vista Irrigation District$114,335 average total pay
- Ramona Municipal Water District$113,579 average total pay
- San Elijo Joint Powers Authority$109,998 average total pay
- Padre Dam Municipal Water District$108,572 average total pay
- Rincon Del Diablo Municipal Water District$106,200 average total pay
- Highest water operator salaries in CaliforniaThe best-paying employers, ranked
- Teacher salaries in San Diego CountyEvery school district's salary schedule
Sources for the Vista figures
Every person who held a water operator position at Vista 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 Vista.