Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in the U.S. is $49,880 ($23.98 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $49,880
- Mean annual wage
- $53,500
- Median hourly wage
- $23.98
- Employment
- 30,650
30,650 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,040 | $17.81 |
| 25th percentile | $43,530 | $20.93 |
| Median (50th) | $49,880 | $23.98 |
| 75th percentile | $61,060 | $29.36 |
| 90th percentile | $73,490 | $35.33 |
Highest-paying states for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $66,890 | 300 |
| New Jersey | $64,650 | 220 |
| New Hampshire | $64,590 | 310 |
| Washington | $63,090 | 1,600 |
| Minnesota | $62,190 | 240 |
| Connecticut | $60,700 | 280 |
| Nevada | $60,180 | 220 |
| Iowa | $57,980 | 630 |
| Oregon | $57,920 | 560 |
| Alaska | $57,720 | 280 |
Lowest-paying states
- West Virginia: $36,200 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $38,330 median annual wage
- Mississippi: $38,870 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $39,480 median annual wage
- South Dakota: $40,040 median annual wage
About this occupation
Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or drains. May patch walls and partitions of tank, replace damaged drain tile, or repair breaks in underground piping.
Typical tasks
- Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes.
- Cut damaged sections of pipe with cutters, remove broken sections from ditches, and replace pipe sections, using pipe sleeves.
- Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
- Cover repaired pipes with dirt, and pack backfilled excavations, using air and gasoline tampers.
- Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls.
- Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 24.2% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 45.3% |
| Some college, no degree | 17.6% |
| Associate's degree | 5.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 6.8% |
| Master's degree | 0.2% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.1% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.