Septic & Sewer Technicians in the Washington area earn a median of $56,420 a year, 11% above the typical U.S. metro. That ranks #49 of 150 metros nationwide.
What this means Our calculation
Pay for septic & sewer technicians here is above average compared with other U.S. metros, and about average once local prices are factored in. For the wider job market, unemployment is about the same as in most metros (3.8%) and the population is growing at a typical pace (+3.3% since 2020).
A summary of the numbers on this page; nothing here is estimated beyond them.
Washington scorecard for septic & sewer technicians Our calculation
Grades compare Washington with every other U.S. metro for this trade (A = top 20%).
Pay Government data
Pay range
Shaded: the middle half of workers. Grey line: typical U.S. metro ($50,990).
Pay over time
The median pay for septic & sewer technicians in the Washington area went from $45,380 in 2020 to $56,420 in 2025, up 24.3%. Prices rose 25% over the same period, so after inflation that's -0.8% — roughly keeping pace.
BLS OEWS, May 2020–May 2025; inflation: CPI-U (May to May). Year-to-year changes can include survey noise.
Compared with nearby metros
What the pay is really worth in Washington Our calculation
Prices in Washington run 9% above the U.S. average. Adjusted for that, a median paycheck here buys what $51,817 would in a typical place, ranking #78 of 150 on real pay.
Two different views, don't combine them. Real pay already accounts for housing, because the price index includes rent. Rent burden shows what share of pay a typical 1-bedroom takes. Use either one, not both together.
What septic & sewer technicians do
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.
Most important day-to-day tasks
- 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 vac-alls.
- Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work.
Outlook & getting started
Nationally, septic & sewer technician jobs are projected to grow 7.8% from 2025 to 2035 (all jobs: 3.5%), with about 2,800 openings a year. About 3% are self-employed.
What the work is like Government data
How often septic & sewer technicians deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in District of Columbia Official source
The main state licensing office in District of Columbia is the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. It can point you to the right license for septic & sewer technicians.
Official District of Columbia licensing site ↗
Requirements for septic & sewer technicians vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
On-the-job safety Government data
Nationally, septic & sewer technicians have 162 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, 1.9× the rate for all jobs (87). The most common cause is overexertion and repetitive strain.
BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024 (national, cases with days away from work).
How much work is there? Government data
Local job market
The Washington area's unemployment rate was 3.8% in 2025 (all workers, not just septic & sewer technicians), below the typical U.S. metro's 4.1%. It was 4.6% in 2021.
BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual averages 2021–2025 (2025 preliminary).
Getting to work
The average commute in the Washington area is 34 minutes each way, longer than the typical metro (24 min). 29% of commuters spend 45 minutes or more. 57% drive alone, 9% take transit and 20% work from home (all workers, not just trades).
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table S0801).
Population
The Washington area's population grew 3.3% from 2020 to 2025 (6,260,638 → 6,465,724), ranking #158 of 387 metros for growth (typical metro +2.5%). People moving in (net +54,617) account for part of the change.
Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year, 2020–2025.
Homes in Washington
The Washington area has about 2,550,314 homes. 44% were built before 1980 (typical metro 45%), so its housing is about as old as most; 16% were built in 2010 or later. 63% of households own their home, and the median home value is $604,800.
Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year estimates (table DP04).
New construction
New-home permits in Washington are down 34% from 2021 to 2025 (27,414 → 17,990).
In 2025 the Washington area approved permits for 17,990 new homes (10,168 single-family), or 2.8 per 1,000 residents, ranking #234 of 393 metros.
Employee vs. working for yourself Your scenario
A model, not a market rate. It shows the minimum you'd need to bill to match a $56,420 employee salary once you cover what an employer normally pays for. Change any number.
Minimum billing rate
How this calculator works. Billable hours are hours you can charge a customer. Driving, quoting, paperwork and slow weeks aren't billable, which is why 1,400 is a common starting point versus 2,080 paid hours as an employee.
Get septic & sewer technician pricing & estimate templates →Compare Washington with another city →
About this data
- Pay: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2025, local to this metro.
- Pay over time: BLS OEWS May 2020–2025, local; inflation from the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U).
- Real pay: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024, local.
- Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027, local (county rents weighted by population).
- Job outlook, education, training: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national.
- Duties: O*NET 31.0, national.
- Safety: BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, 2023–2024, national.
- New construction: Census Building Permits, 2021–2025, local.
- Housing: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local (age of homes, ownership, home values).
- Population: Census Bureau population estimates, 2020–2025, local.
- Commute: Census American Community Survey, 2024 1-year, local, all workers.
- Unemployment: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, 2021–2025 annual averages, local, all workers (2025 preliminary).
- Competition: Census Nonemployer Statistics 2024 and County Business Patterns 2023, local, reported by industry, so related trades can share one figure.
- Jobs are employment estimates, not open positions. Grades rank this metro against all others for the same trade.
The Census doesn't publish one-person business or competition figures for septic & sewer technicians as a separate industry, so that section is left out.