Construction and Extraction Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 47-4071

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Median pay sits 32% below the mid peer in Construction and Extraction Occupations (neighbors include Boilermakers, Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas, Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators, Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners: Boilermakers ($76K) , Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas ($68K) , Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators ($70K) , Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other ($70K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 47-4071 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones
  2. 2. Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment
  3. 3. Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages
  4. 4. Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and va…
  5. 5. Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work
  6. 6. Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins
  7. 7. Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging
  8. 8. Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments
  9. 9. Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages
  10. 10. Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes
  11. 11. Withdraw cables from pipes and examine them for evidence of mud, roots, grease, and other deposits indicating broken or clogged sewer lines
  12. 12. Ensure that repaired sewer line joints are tightly sealed before backfilling begins

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners: O*NET ranks Operation and Control first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 47-4071 - lead skill Operation and Control at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Customer and Personal Service. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operation and Control 3.9
  2. 2. Operations Monitoring 3.6
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.1
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Equipment Maintenance 3.0
  6. 6. Troubleshooting 3.0
  7. 7. Repairing 3.0
  8. 8. Quality Control Analysis 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Customer and Personal Service 3.9
  2. 2. Transportation 3.5
  3. 3. Mechanical 3.5
  4. 4. English Language 3.4
  5. 5. Public Safety and Security 3.4
  6. 6. Mathematics 3.2
Pay vs Construction and Extraction Occupations peers
-32%
vs mid peer median $73,300
This role $49,880/yr
$50K
National median
↑ +8%
Growth 2024-2034
2,900
Annual openings
30,650
Estimated US jobs
Boilermakers
Highest-pay peer · $76K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

1. Iowa $57,980
2. Oregon $57,920
3. New Jersey $64,650
4. New Hampshire $64,590
5. Minnesota $62,190
6. Washington $63,090
7. Nebraska $66,890
8. Connecticut $60,700
9. Nevada $60,180
10. Alaska $57,720

Other Construction and Extraction Occupations titles

  1. 1. Boilermakers $76,410
  2. 2. Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas $67,890
  3. 3. Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators $70,070
  4. 4. Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other $70,130
  5. 5. Terrazzo Workers and Finishers $76,170
  6. 6. Pile Driver Operators $73,300

Among Construction and Extraction Occupations peers on this card, Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners sits 32% below the mid peer median ($73,300). Its own median is $49,880.

Employment Projections expect +8% change between 2024 and 2034 (faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 2,900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Iowa at $57,980. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Boilermakers at $76,410. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners pay-rank #44 in Construction and Extraction Occupations

On the Construction and Extraction Occupations median table (60 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners lands at #44, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 47-4071 · national median $49,880 · lower third of Construction and Extraction Occupations (#44/60). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 47-4071

Iowa · top state for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

$58K published median

Oregon · #2 state pay

$58K · behind Iowa

Boilermakers

Highest-pay peer vs Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners · $76K

Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas

Lower-pay peer beside Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners · $68K

Compare Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Against another occupation

Boilermakers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners land on the Construction and Extraction Occupations median table? ▼
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners is pay-rank #44 of 60 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers ($50K), Highway Maintenance Workers ($50K), Hazardous Materials Removal Workers ($49K), Carpet Installers ($50K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners. Leading ones include: Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones; Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment; Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages; Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and va…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners? ▼
For SOC 47-4071, O*NET importance scores lead with Operation and Control (3.9), Operations Monitoring (3.6), Critical Thinking (3.1), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Customer and Personal Service, Transportation, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $49,880 as the national median for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners. The published 10th-90th range is $37,040 to $73,490. Beside Boilermakers ($76,410), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners is +8%. Projected annual openings: about 2,900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners? ▼
Iowa ($57,980), Oregon ($57,920), New Jersey ($64,650) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 47-4071. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics