Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleanerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $53,500 ≈ $26/hr
National median salary $49,880
Total employment 30,650 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +7.6%
Faster than average
Annual openings 2,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 30,400 → 32,700 (+2,300)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New Jersey$69,490
- Washington$65,880
- New Hampshire$65,270
- Connecticut$63,720
- Minnesota$62,010
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- West Virginia$37,250
- Arkansas$40,430
- Mississippi$42,380
- Tennessee$43,070
- Oklahoma$43,400
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $69,490 | $64,650 | $33 | +29.9% | 220 |
| 2 | Washington | $65,880 | $63,090 | $32 | +23.1% | 1,600 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $65,270 | $64,590 | $31 | +22% | 310 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $63,720 | $60,700 | $31 | +19.1% | 280 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $62,010 | $62,190 | $30 | +15.9% | 240 |
| 6 | Alaska | $61,530 | $57,720 | $30 | +15% | 280 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $60,670 | $54,530 | $29 | +13.4% | 80 |
| 8 | Nebraska | $58,300 | $66,890 | $28 | +9% | 300 |
| 9 | California | $57,610 | $55,220 | $28 | +7.7% | 3,130 |
| 10 | Illinois | $57,230 | $53,190 | $28 | +7% | 1,210 |
| 11 | Iowa | $57,200 | $57,980 | $28 | +6.9% | 630 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $56,940 | $53,080 | $27 | +6.4% | 620 |
| 13 | Colorado | $56,270 | $51,700 | $27 | +5.2% | 500 |
| 14 | New York | $56,030 | $55,220 | $27 | +4.7% | 1,550 |
| 15 | Maryland | $56,000 | $56,410 | $27 | +4.7% | 160 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $55,940 | $57,340 | $27 | +4.6% | 1,050 |
| 17 | Oregon | $55,770 | $57,920 | $27 | +4.2% | 560 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $55,730 | $52,070 | $27 | +4.2% | 1,530 |
| 19 | Utah | $55,390 | $49,770 | $27 | +3.5% | 200 |
| 20 | Montana | $55,200 | $56,860 | $27 | +3.2% | 290 |
| 21 | Nevada | $54,900 | $60,180 | $26 | +2.6% | 220 |
| 22 | Ohio | $53,750 | $50,750 | $26 | +0.5% | 1,000 |
| 23 | Missouri | $53,050 | $51,560 | $26 | -0.8% | 1,160 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $52,900 | $48,900 | $25 | -1.1% | 500 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $52,350 | $46,340 | $25 | -2.1% | 70 |
| 26 | Georgia | $52,080 | $51,880 | $25 | -2.7% | 590 |
| 27 | Michigan | $51,680 | $50,040 | $25 | -3.4% | 1,080 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $50,900 | $47,280 | $24 | -4.9% | 1,020 |
| 29 | Indiana | $50,720 | $48,380 | $24 | -5.2% | 770 |
| 30 | Arizona | $50,160 | $47,670 | $24 | -6.2% | 590 |
| 31 | Virginia | $49,620 | $47,150 | $24 | -7.3% | 890 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $49,580 | $47,520 | $24 | -7.3% | 90 |
| 33 | Idaho | $48,990 | $46,860 | $24 | -8.4% | 230 |
| 34 | Vermont | $48,960 | $46,140 | $24 | -8.5% | 140 |
| 35 | Florida | $48,600 | $46,150 | $23 | -9.2% | 1,330 |
| 36 | Maine | $48,320 | $48,530 | $23 | -9.7% | 160 |
| 37 | Delaware | $47,890 | $48,440 | $23 | -10.5% | 30 |
| 38 | Alabama | $47,630 | $47,370 | $23 | -11% | 400 |
| 39 | Texas | $47,090 | $43,860 | $23 | -12% | 2,430 |
| 40 | Kentucky | $46,630 | $43,980 | $22 | -12.8% | 280 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $46,510 | $46,660 | $22 | -13.1% | 640 |
| 42 | Kansas | $45,870 | $46,960 | $22 | -14.3% | 150 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $45,040 | $40,040 | $22 | -15.8% | 120 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $43,450 | $40,230 | $21 | -18.8% | 160 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $43,400 | $40,960 | $21 | -18.9% | 670 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $43,070 | $39,480 | $21 | -19.5% | 550 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $42,380 | $38,870 | $20 | -20.8% | 230 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $40,430 | $38,330 | $19 | -24.4% | — |
| 49 | West Virginia | $37,250 | $36,200 | $18 | -30.4% | 70 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 225 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockford, IL | $75,010 | $64,610 | 50 |
| 2 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $74,550 | $69,450 | 40 |
| 3 | Omaha, NE-IA | $71,570 | $61,050 | 180 |
| 4 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $70,270 | $68,140 | 120 |
| 5 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $68,990 | $74,910 | 350 |
| 6 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $66,870 | $60,480 | 70 |
| 7 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $66,010 | $60,490 | 60 |
| 8 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $65,930 | $65,710 | 60 |
| 9 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $64,590 | $67,400 | 110 |
| 10 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $64,180 | $68,670 | 830 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleanerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $69,170 | $65,400 | — |
| 2 | Engineering Services | $64,000 | $91,170 | — |
| 3 | Utility System Construction | $59,980 | $61,050 | 950 |
| 4 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $59,540 | $60,670 | 970 |
| 5 | Construction of Buildings | $59,020 | $67,320 | — |
| 6 | Residential Building Construction | $59,020 | $71,430 | — |
| 7 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $58,470 | $71,420 | 160 |
| 8 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $56,730 | $56,220 | 90 |
| 9 | Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $55,860 | $57,350 | 6,660 |
| 10 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $55,860 | $57,350 | 6,670 |
| 11 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $55,860 | $57,350 | 6,660 |
| 12 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $55,860 | $57,350 | 6,670 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners make in the U.S.?
The median septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners salary in the United States is $49,880 per year (mean $53,500), and about 80% earn between $37,040 and $73,490.
How much do septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners make per hour?
Roughly $26 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $53,500 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners the most?
New Jersey has the highest average pay for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners at $69,490 per year (median $64,650).
What is the job outlook for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
Employment is projected to change +7.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 2,900 openings per year.