How Much Does a Septic Tank Servicer Make? (2024)
Plumbing · SOC Code 47-4071 · 1-year apprenticeship
The average septic tank servicer earns $52,193 per year ($25/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $39,540 to $62,830 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $49,110 and top earners making $85,590+.
Most septic tank servicers don't hit $100K — top-decile pay tops out at $85,590
The 90th-percentile septic tank servicer in Seattle, WA earns $85,590 per year ($41/hour). Workers who hit six figures in this trade are usually overtime-heavy industrial workers, foremen, or contractor-owners — those numbers sit outside what the BLS wage survey captures for typical W-2 employment.
National Salary Range
Septic Tank Servicer salaries range from $39,540 to $62,830 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Septic Tank Servicer Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $62,830 | $49,110 – $85,590 | $42,168 | D | 780 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $62,310 | $40,930 – $72,960 | $58,783 | D | 0 |
| San Francisco, CA | $61,960 | $43,710 – $101,350 | $32,611 | F | 360 |
| Denver, CO | $59,780 | $46,690 – $75,940 | $46,703 | D | 290 |
| New York, NY | $59,170 | $37,590 – $88,270 | $31,642 | F | 1,090 |
| Portland, OR | $59,170 | $39,950 – $74,110 | $45,515 | D | 360 |
| Boston, MA | $56,180 | $49,220 – $79,230 | $36,961 | F | 290 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $55,760 | $36,470 – $70,800 | $58,083 | D | 200 |
| Nashville, TN | $54,650 | $37,420 – $85,360 | $53,058 | D | 170 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $52,330 | $45,610 – $74,870 | $31,524 | F | 580 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $52,000 | $38,590 – $76,320 | $45,217 | D | 510 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $51,640 | $27,330 – $59,690 | $56,130 | D | 150 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $51,540 | $46,630 – $75,130 | $49,558 | D | 150 |
| Chicago, IL | $51,060 | $37,290 – $79,840 | $47,720 | D | 520 |
| St. Louis, MO | $50,460 | $37,810 – $70,840 | $56,067 | D | 440 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $50,360 | $38,410 – $64,280 | $55,341 | D | 190 |
| Kansas City, MO | $50,310 | $39,300 – $77,970 | $53,521 | D | 250 |
| Detroit, MI | $50,250 | $39,810 – $63,650 | $56,461 | D | 430 |
| Atlanta, GA | $48,880 | $37,400 – $78,240 | $46,113 | D | 80 |
| Miami, FL | $48,600 | $38,520 – $74,220 | $39,836 | F | 240 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $48,010 | $43,090 – $62,400 | $46,163 | D | 110 |
| Tampa, FL | $47,580 | $35,450 – $67,770 | $47,109 | D | 180 |
| Dallas, TX | $47,090 | $36,860 – $62,670 | $46,167 | D | 450 |
| Charlotte, NC | $46,380 | $36,920 – $59,820 | $47,327 | D | 210 |
| San Antonio, TX | $45,900 | $36,170 – $62,850 | $51,000 | D | 230 |
| Houston, TX | $45,480 | $36,950 – $62,510 | $47,375 | D | 460 |
| Raleigh, NC | $39,540 | $32,270 – $48,460 | $39,540 | F | 140 |
About Septic Tank Servicer Pay
Septic Tank Servicers earn a national median salary of $52,193 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Seattle at $62,830 median, while Raleigh offers the lowest at $39,540.
Becoming a septic tank servicer typically requires a 1-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $49,110, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $85,590 or more. With 2% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a septic tank servicer?
Step-by-step path: 1-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Plumbing Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average septic tank servicer salary is $52,193 per year ($25/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $39,540 to $62,830 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Septic Tank Servicers earn an average hourly wage of $25/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $24/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $41/hour or more.
Seattle offers the highest median pay for septic tank servicers at $62,830. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of D and 2% wage growth over 5 years, septic tank servicer offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 8,860 jobs nationwide across 27 metro areas.
Becoming a septic tank servicer typically requires a 1-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $49,110 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. skilled-trade wage data dataset. The detail above comes directly from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. trades, cities, and states.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.