Water/Wastewater Engineers in California
Considering working as a Water/Wastewater Engineers in California? Below are the key facts. Perform engineering duties in planning, designing, and overseeing construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities, such as roads, railroads, airports, bridges, harbors, channels, dams, irrigation projects, pipelines, power plants, and water and sewage systems. Includes architectural, structural, traffic, and geotechnical engineers. Excludes “Hydrologists” (19-2043).
What do Water/Wastewater Engineers Make in California?
The water/wastewater engineers working in California, wages run about $118,450 per year (or about $56.95/hour).Annual wages span from $77,620 at the 10th percentile to $171,760 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $77,620 | $37.32 |
| 25th percentile | $94,450 | $45.41 |
| Median (50th) | $118,450 | $56.95 |
| 75th percentile | $145,730 | $70.06 |
| 90th percentile | $171,760 | $82.58 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California relative to the national average — is 1.31, suggesting that water/wastewater engineers are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, water/wastewater engineers earn a median of $86,573 per year ($41.62/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 362,871 water/wastewater engineers across the United States. In California alone, approximately 54,640 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 4,130 water/wastewater engineers.
Top California Metros for Water/Wastewater Engineers
These are the California metros with the most water/wastewater engineers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 16,390 | $105,290 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 9,920 | $126,560 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 6,390 | $106,350 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 5,190 | $130,310 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,620 | $109,250 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 3,180 | $129,260 |
| Fresno, CA | 1,240 | $110,920 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 760 | $98,160 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 700 | $106,420 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 680 | $110,920 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 610 | $108,010 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 550 | $106,430 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 460 | $115,970 |
| Yuba City, CA | 410 | $117,740 |
| Vallejo, CA | 370 | $113,500 |
| Redding, CA | 330 | $127,130 |
| Modesto, CA | 300 | $103,040 |
| Salinas, CA | 250 | $112,510 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 190 | $116,440 |
| Visalia, CA | 190 | $101,610 |
| Chico, CA | 170 | $94,580 |
| Napa, CA | 160 | $122,820 |
| El Centro, CA | 110 | $106,380 |
| Merced, CA | 50 | $99,600 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 30 | $103,210 |
Top States for Water/Wastewater Engineers Employment
The table below shows the states where the most water/wastewater engineers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 54,640 |
| Texas | 33,790 |
| Florida | 22,780 |
| New York | 17,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 14,610 |
| Colorado | 13,510 |
| Illinois | 13,400 |
| North Carolina | 12,670 |
| Washington | 11,900 |
| Virginia | 11,030 |
| Massachusetts | 9,460 |
| Georgia | 8,820 |
| Ohio | 8,520 |
| Michigan | 7,760 |
| South Carolina | 7,460 |
| Wisconsin | 7,050 |
| New Jersey | 6,780 |
| Arizona | 6,270 |
| Alabama | 5,920 |
| Missouri | 5,280 |
Highest-Paying States for Water/Wastewater Engineers
These states pay the most for water/wastewater engineers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $118,450 |
| Rhode Island | $112,250 |
| Alaska | $107,240 |
| Washington | $105,090 |
| New Mexico | $104,600 |
| Massachusetts | $104,450 |
| Mississippi | $103,940 |
| New Jersey | $103,690 |
| Oregon | $103,070 |
| New York | $102,440 |
Skills
Key water/wastewater engineers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for water/wastewater engineers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- Provide technical direction or supervision to junior engineers, engineering or computer-aided design (CAD) technicians, or other technical personnel.
- Review and critique proposals, plans, or designs related to water or wastewater treatment systems.
- Design domestic or industrial water or wastewater treatment plants, including advanced facilities with sequencing batch reactors (SBR), membranes, lift stations, headworks, surge overflow basins, ultraviolet disinfection systems, aerobic digesters, sludge lagoons, or control buildings.
- Evaluate the operation and maintenance of water or wastewater systems to identify ways to improve their efficiency.
- Design or select equipment for use in wastewater processing to ensure compliance with government standards.
- Design pumping systems, pumping stations, pipelines, force mains, or sewers for the collection of wastewater.
- Design water distribution systems for potable or non-potable water.
- Conduct water quality studies to identify and characterize water pollutant sources.
- Analyze and recommend chemical, biological, or other wastewater treatment methods to prepare water for industrial or domestic use.
- Identify design alternatives for the development of new water resources.
- Design water runoff collection networks, water supply channels, or water supply system networks.
- Design water or wastewater lift stations, including water wells.
Work Activities
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Working with Computers
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Processing Information
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Coaching and Developing Others
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D, Autodesk Revit In-demand technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Engineering
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Related occupations to water/wastewater engineers include:
- Geothermal Production Managers
- Hydroelectric Production Managers
- Water Resource Specialists
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Chemical Engineers
- Civil Engineers
Also Known As
Consulting Engineer, County Engineer, Dimensional Engineer, Engineer, Hydraulics Engineer, Hydrologic Modeler, Project Development Engineer, Remediation Engineer, Remediation Project Engineer, Wastewater Design Engineer, Wastewater Engineer, Wastewater Process Engineer, Wastewater Project Engineer, Water Engineer, Water Project Engineer.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 17-2051.02
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