CDCareer Decision

Compare careers

Factual side-by-side attributes from the imported O*NET and BLS OEWS datasets. No career is ranked or recommended.

Career A (or your current career)

Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

Career B (or your target career)

Water/Wastewater Engineers

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Comparison table

MetricWater and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System OperatorsWater/Wastewater Engineers
National median salary$60,020$100,840
Local median salaryNot publishedNot published
National employment128,490367,840
Typical educationHigh School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)Bachelor's Degree
Job zone24
Important skillsOperation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Quality Control Analysis, Active ListeningReading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Writing, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis
Related careersCleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders, Hazardous Materials Removal Workers, Biofuels Processing Technicians, Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including HealthHydroelectric Plant Technicians, Hydroelectric Production Managers, Environmental Restoration Planners, Industrial Ecologists
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators dashboardWater/Wastewater Engineers dashboard

Career transition: skill overlap

Skill overlap

39%

9 of 23 target skills

Target-only skills

14

Current-only skills

6

Skill overlap compares O*NET skills rated at importance 3.0 or above for each occupation. It is a measure of listed skill overlap, not a probability of getting the job.

Shared skills

  • Judgment and Decision Making+1.1 level
  • Critical Thinking+1.1 level
  • Reading Comprehension+1.4 level
  • Active Listening+1.0 level
  • Complex Problem Solving+1.8 level
  • Speaking+1.0 level
  • Time Management+0.9 level
  • Monitoring+0.4 level
  • Coordination+0.6 level

Only in Water/Wastewater Engineers

  • Writing
  • Mathematics
  • Systems Evaluation
  • Systems Analysis
  • Science
  • Management of Personnel Resources
  • Active Learning
  • Operations Analysis
  • Learning Strategies
  • Instructing
  • Service Orientation
  • Negotiation
  • Persuasion
  • Social Perceptiveness

Only in Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Repairing
  • Quality Control Analysis
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Troubleshooting