California State Controller's Office · 2025 pay · 262 people
How much does a plant operator make in California State Controller's Office?
$118,931typical pay for a plant operator in 2025
$91,658 – $140,849what most people earned
Includes everyone paid during 2025, including part-year workers. Typical pay rose 6.5% from 2024.
✓ Official data from California State Controller's Office · Matches the agency's latest release · sco.ca.gov ↗✓ Official data from California State Controller's Office · Matches the agency's latest release · sco.ca.gov ↗
Where plant operators work
Typical pay at each employer, 2025 (everyone paid).
- Orange County Sanitation District35 people$125,272
- City of Sacramento30 people$92,095
- Union Sanitary District (Alameda)17 people$167,502
- Oro Loma Sanitary District (Alameda)13 people$154,777
- Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Contra Costa)13 people$143,541
- South Tahoe Public Utility District12 people$128,584
- City of Simi Valley11 people$107,140
- Orange County Water District10 people$123,261
- City of South San Francisco10 people$147,657
- Palomar Health District9 people$90,456
- Palmdale Water District7 people$140,246
- Helix Water District6 people$142,278
- Rancho Murieta Community Services District6 people$85,650
- City of San Leandro6 people$133,886
- Big Bear Area Regional Wastewater Agency6 people$101,384
- Central Coast Water Authority6 people$132,331
- City of American Canyon6 people$120,408
- City of Daly City5 people$138,841
- City of Calistoga5 people$114,855
- South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District (San Luis Obispo)5 people$93,150
- Yorba Linda Water District5 people$115,438
- City of San Clemente5 people$129,570
- Friant Power Authority4 people$104,339
- Mariposa Public Utility District4 people$62,564
- City of Oxnard3 people$51,760
- Carmel Area Wastewater Agency (Monterey)3 people$120,354
- Ironhouse Sanitary District (Contra Costa)3 people$160,572
- Laytonville County Water District2 people$37,037
- City of Angels2 people$77,407
- Bodega Bay Public Utility District2 people$104,830
- West County Wastewater District (Contra Costa)2 people$140,952
- Temescal Valley Water District2 people$103,501
- Rodeo Sanitary District (Contra Costa)2 people$46,158
- City of Millbrae1 person$156,632
- Home Garden Community Service District1 person$20,100
- McCloud Community Services District1 person$10,500
- City of Wheatland1 person$90,568
- Fallbrook Public Utility District1 person$45,800
No employers match.
Pay by level
Levels with 5 or more people.
- Plant Operator I33 people$100,740
- Plant Operator103 people$109,688
- Plant Operator II70 people$114,576
- Plant Operator III55 people$143,061
Related jobs and the next step up
Same line of work at a different rank, by typical pay (full-year employees where we can tell).
- Plant Operator Trainee$49,316 (everyone)
- Plant Operator Senior$87,843 (everyone)
- Plant Operator Principal$109,092 (everyone)
- Plant Operator (this page)$118,931 (everyone)
- Chief Plant Operator$128,052 (everyone)
- Lead Plant Operator$129,553 (everyone)
- Senior Plant Operator$136,672 (everyone)
- Supervising Plant Operator$163,597 (everyone)
Highest-paid plant operators, 2025
Common questions
How much does a plant operator make in California State Controller's Office?
The typical plant operator was paid $118,931 in 2025; most earned between $91,658 and $140,849. This counts all 262 people paid, including part-year workers.
How much of the pay is overtime?
Overtime made up 7.4% of all pay for plant operators in 2025.
Which job titles are included?
Everyone whose payroll title is Plant Operator, at any level (for example "Plant Operator I"). Part-time-schedule titles (such as "20 hours") are left out. Senior, supervising and trainee titles have their own pages.
Job titles are written out in full from the payroll's abbreviations (for example "SR CRRECTNL POLC OFCR" → "Senior Correctional Police Officer"). "Typical pay" is the median; "most earned" is the middle half. How we calculate this