BLS metro-level wage data places Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators pay in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA at a median of $47,560 per year ($22.87/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $60,020, Kingsport-Bristol pays 21% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 140 water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorss are employed across the Kingsport-Bristol MSA in SOC 51-8031.

The Kingsport-Bristol pay distribution spans from $35,170 at the 10th percentile to $65,400 at the 90th — a 1.9× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $44,430 and the 75th at $62,710, so half of Kingsport-Bristol-based water and wastewater treatment plant and system operatorss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide TN data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.