Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee pay range
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · class code 97281
- Class code
- 97281
- Pay scale group
- ST 03
- Pay unit
- Year
- Bargaining unit
- J1
- State
- Pennsylvania
- The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania published pay range for Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator Trainee is $36,831 to $54,162 per year.
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration keys this classification as class code 97281.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Class specification
The Commonwealth job specification for this class is published by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration. The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications. It was last revised 01/01/2021.
What the state says the job is
This is entry-level training work learning and applying the skills and techniques to operate and maintain wastewater treatment plants. An employee in this job receives structured and on-the-job training to develop the knowledge, competencies, and skills needed to prepare the employee to become certified as a wastewater treatment plant operator. Assignments provide progressively responsible experience in operating and maintaining various wastewater treatment equipment, sustaining biological processes, performing chemical testing of influent and effluent, and recording and reporting data and findings. Employees will become familiar with laws, regulations, and permits enforced by federal, state, or local regulatory authorities and the associated reporting requirements.
Examples of the work
• Participates in on-the-job, online, and classroom training in wastewater treatment plant operation. • Operates chlorinators, digestors, aerators, grit removers, motors, pumps, compressors, filters, valves, and related wastewater treatment equipment according to standard operating procedures. • Participates in operating and maintaining collection and conveyance systems. • Receives training in sampling and testing of influent and effluent to ensure acceptable pH level, purity, clarity, and biochemical levels. • Receives training in preparing and submitting testing data and documentation for permit, licensing, and certification requirements.
Minimum qualifications
• Six months of building maintenance or trades experience; or • An equivalent combination of experience and training.
Special requirements
• All employees must obtain, within the probationary period, a valid Operator’s Certificate, or an Operator in Training Designation issued by the Pennsylvania State Board for Certification of Water and Wastewater System Operators as a wastewater treatment plant operator that is equal to or greater t ...
Quoted from the Commonwealth job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Office of Administration publishes this figure in Classification and Pay Plan (online, current annual salary ranges). Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The Commonwealth also links this class code to its own job title and specification. That page is the official description of the classification; this page publishes its pay range.
The listed pay scale is available in the Commonwealth's current ST schedule.