TL;DR

About 29,050 septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners nationally earn a mean of $59,231. Employment in the series shown rose about 9% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 1.7% annual growth.

Key Statistics

29,050
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$59,231
Average Salary

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners: what the data shows

Common questions about septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.

What is a septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners?

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 47-4071.

U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 29,050 workers.

What does a septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners do?

O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Getting Information, Performing General Physical Activities, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, Documenting/Recording Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.

How much does a septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners make?

BLS national median annual wage: $49,140 (May 2024 in our extract).

Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $59,231 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.

Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).

Wage percentileAnnual wage
10th percentile$41,145
25th percentile$48,464
Median (50th)$55,670
75th percentile$64,934
90th percentile$81,003

What education do you need?

For Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).

These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.

What skills do you need?

O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, and knowledge areas including Customer and Personal Service, Transportation, Mechanical, English Language. See Education & Skills for detail.

Is septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleaners in demand?

Historical employment trend in our series implies about 1.7% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).

Five-year projected employment change: 8.8%.

Ten-year projected employment change: 18.4%.

Current U.S. headcount: 29,050.

We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.

Where do septic tank servicers and sewer pipe cleanerss work?

Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:

IndustryEmploymentShare
Cross-industry29,05019.2%
Cross-industry, Private Ownership only22,95015.2%
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services16,64011.0%
Waste Management and Remediation Services15,89010.5%
Remediation and Other Waste Management Services15,69010.4%
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)6,1004.0%

See Industry for charts.

What degrees lead to this career?

Common majors for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners in O*NET:

See Related degrees.

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners workforce.

Employment Over Time

29,050 Workforce in 2023

The Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$59,231 Average Wage

In 2023, Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners earned an average of $59,231.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Salary distribution for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Employment Growth Projections

1.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

11,772 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 8.8%

12,808 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 18.4%

This occupation is projected to grow at 1.7% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Wage Trends by Industry

-3.2% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 2,850 employees, $57,540 avg wage
  • TX: 2,370 employees, $45,850 avg wage
  • NY: 1,790 employees, $55,650 avg wage
  • WA: 1,660 employees, $65,480 avg wage
  • FL: 1,470 employees, $52,990 avg wage
  • PA: 1,380 employees, $54,270 avg wage
  • OH: 1,210 employees, $57,040 avg wage
  • MO: 1,170 employees, $50,880 avg wage
  • MI: 1,140 employees, $50,400 avg wage
  • VA: 990 employees, $46,870 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 1,090 employees, $61,470 avg wage
  • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA: 780 employees, $69,870 avg wage
  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 580 employees, $56,830 avg wage
  • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 520 employees, $55,280 avg wage
  • Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 510 employees, $57,300 avg wage
  • Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 460 employees, $50,130 avg wage
  • Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 450 employees, $49,500 avg wage
  • St. Louis, MO-IL: 440 employees, $53,480 avg wage
  • Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI: 430 employees, $51,350 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA: 380 employees, $55,310 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Diversity

Demographic information on Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners in 2023 was 29,050 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners in 2023 were Business Administration, Business, Social Sciences.

Common majors for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners workers.

Education level distribution for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Skills

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Active Listening, Equipment Maintenance.

Required skills for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners include Customer and Personal Service, Transportation, Mechanical, English Language, Public Safety and Security.

Knowledge areas required for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners include Manual Dexterity, Control Precision, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Problem Sensitivity, Oral Comprehension.

Required abilities for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

Daily Activities

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners spend their time on activities such as Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Getting Information, Performing General Physical Activities, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.

Most important work activities for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners.

About

Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

The average yearly wage for Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners was $59,231 in 2023.

SOC Code

47-4071 - Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners

Insights and Analysis

Compensation snapshot: Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners reports an average salary of $59,231.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 29,050 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 1.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.