Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 47-4071 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$49,878
$23.98/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners is $49,878 per year ($23.98/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $43,534 and $61,069 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $73,486 per year. There are approximately 30,650 septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+7.6%
Faster than average
Annual openings
3K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
30K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
8% from new growth92% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services
NAICS 562900
17K
$48,200
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
7K
$55,860
Other Specialty Trade Contractors
NAICS 238900
2K
$53,440
Building Equipment Contractors
NAICS 238200
2K
$51,570
Utility System Construction
NAICS 237100
950
$59,980
Wage range across top 5 industries: $48,200 to $59,980 (24% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.81
$37,045
P25
$20.93
$43,534
P50MEDIAN
$23.98
$49,878
P75
$29.36
$61,069
P90
$35.33
$73,486
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners salary?
The national median salary for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners is $49,878 per year ($23.98/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $43,534 and $61,069 annually.
How much do top-earning septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners make?
The 90th percentile salary for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners is $73,486 per year ($35.33/hr). The 75th percentile is $61,069 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?
Entry-level Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners (10th percentile) earn approximately $37,045 per year ($17.81/hr). The 25th percentile is $43,534 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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