Water Treatment Plant Operating
Federal headcount, average salary, length of service, and pay comparison for the Water Treatment Plant Operating occupation series (code 5409), drawn directly from the OPM FedScope dataset (June 2026).
The verdict
With 265 employees (0.0% of the federal civilian workforce), Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks as a smaller, specialized federal occupation within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, and headcount declined 0.4% from the prior period. Its average salary of $89,105 pays below the $117,339 federal average.
- Employees
- 265
- Share of workforce
- 0.0%
- Avg salary
- $89,105
- Avg tenure
- 12.2 yrs
What the Numbers Say About Water Treatment Plant Operating
0.0% of the federal civilian workforce (1,953,300 employees total, June 2026) works in the Water Treatment Plant Operating occupation (OPM code 5409): 265 people, headcount down -0.4% versus the prior period, though at this small a headcount, year-to-year swings can reflect a handful of hires or departures rather than a broad hiring trend.
Average tenure in Water Treatment Plant Operating runs 12.2 years, a mid-length average tenure, reflecting a mix of career employees and those who transfer or exit mid-career. Pay averages $89,105 per year, up 0.6% from the prior period, a modest shift, consistent with routine locality pay and grade-level movement.
Code 54, the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, is where the federal government classifies Water Treatment Plant Operating alongside 11 related occupations. Candidates browsing USAJOBS for Water Treatment Plant Operating postings should also review these sibling occupations in the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family.
Within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks #6 of 12 by headcount, accounting for 5.5% of the family's combined 4,810 employees.
Salary Context
How Water Treatment Plant Operating pay compares to the federal average of $117,339
Occupation Average
$89,105
Federal Average
$117,339
vs. Federal Avg
-24.1%
Where Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks on federal pay
Its average salary of $89,105 is higher than 45% of federal occupation series (242 of 541). The highlighted bar marks where Water Treatment Plant Operating sits in the federal pay distribution.
Average-salary distribution across all 541 federal occupation series; Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks higher than 45%.
Related Occupations in Industrial Equipment Operation Family
10 other occupations in the same family
| Occupation | Employees | Avg Salary | Avg LOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lock and Dam Operating | 1,197 | $68,109 | 13.2 yrs |
| Boiler Plant Operating | 762 | $76,211 | 12.8 yrs |
| Electrical Power Controlling | 711 | $156,821 | 17.5 yrs |
| Fuel Distribution System Operating | 700 | $81,595 | 11.2 yrs |
| Utility Systems Operating | 419 | $75,930 | 12.5 yrs |
| Sewage Disposal Plant Operating | 235 | $78,823 | 12.3 yrs |
| Misc Industrial Equipment Operation | 184 | $95,593 | 15.9 yrs |
| Sandblasting | 153 | $65,089 | 12 yrs |
| Air Conditioning Equipment Operating | 130 | $76,659 | 15.2 yrs |
| Packaging Machine Operating | 27 | $75,706 | 17.7 yrs |
Nationwide occupation series with similar scale or pay
Two peer sets for Water Treatment Plant Operating outside the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, on headcount and average salary axes that vary across all OPM occupation series.
Similar headcount
Nearest employee counts in other occupation families (265 here).
Similar average salary
Nearest average salaries in other occupation families ($89,105 here).
Key takeaways
- Water Treatment Plant Operating pays below the federal average by 24.1% ($89,105 vs $117,339 federal-wide), at the 45th percentile for pay among 541 tracked occupation series.
- A smaller, specialized federal occupation by headcount: 265 employees, 0.0% of the federal civilian workforce, and headcount declined 0.4% from the prior period.
- According to OPM FedScope June 2026, Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks #378 of 663 federal occupation series by headcount (the same employee_count ordering as our occupations directory).
- Within the Industrial Equipment Operation Family family, Water Treatment Plant Operating ranks #6 of 12 by headcount, accounting for 5.5% of the family's combined 4,810 employees.
OPM FedScope and Federal Workforce Data figures are federal civilian headcounts, average salaries, and length-of-service statistics - not job-quality scores, hiring advice, or a live vacancy listing. A larger or higher-paid agency is not a better employer.