Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
How much does a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators actually take home in Colorado?
4.4% flat rate — 23.1% effective total tax rateData: BLS OEWS 2025 + IRS/State Tax Brackets 2024 • Updated 2026-05-19
Detailed line-by-line tax calculation for a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators earning $74,200 in Colorado (single filer, standard deduction).
| Tax Component | Annual Amount | Effective Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary (Median) | $74,200 | — |
| Federal Income Tax | -$8,165 | 11.0% |
| Colorado State Income Tax | -$3,264 | 4.4% |
| Social Security (OASDI) | -$4,600 | 6.2% |
| Medicare | -$1,075 | 1.5% |
| Total Taxes | -$17,106 | 23.1% |
| Take-Home Pay | $57,093 | 76.9% |
Take-home pay varies significantly across experience levels. Here is the after-tax breakdown for each salary percentile of Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado.
| Percentile | Gross Salary | Total Taxes | Take-Home Pay | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $50,130 | -$10,072 | $40,057 | 20.1% |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $60,080 | -$12,465 | $47,614 | 20.7% |
| Median (P50) | $74,200 | -$17,106 | $57,093 | 23.1% |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $83,620 | -$20,313 | $63,306 | 24.3% |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $95,730 | -$24,437 | $71,292 | 25.5% |
After federal income tax ($8,165), state tax ($3,264), and FICA ($5,676), a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado takes home $57,093 per year — or $4,757 per month. The effective tax rate of 23.1% is relatively low compared to the national range.
With an effective total rate of 23.1%, a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado keeps $57,094 of $74,200 gross — roughly typical for U.S. middle-income earners once federal, FICA and state taxes are combined.
Colorado applies a flat state income tax — every dollar of wage income is taxed at the same rate. For this Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary that contributes $3,265 to the 4.4% effective state-tax burden.
Federal tax on this Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary is $8,165 (48%), but combined state ($3,265, 19%) + FICA ($5,676, 33%) make up the other 52% of the bill.
Moving this same Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators salary to a zero-state-tax state would yield around $60,359 net — a gain of $3,265 (5.7%) per year versus Colorado.
For Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators after-tax pay, Colorado ranks #6 of 50 states — top quartile. High gross wages or low state-tax burden (or both) drive the strong ranking.
Translated into paycheck cadences, $57,094 net/year works out to $4,758/month or $2,196/bi-weekly for this Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado — the numbers that actually hit a checking account after every deduction.
Where does a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators keep the most of their paycheck? Top 10 states ranked by after-tax take-home pay.
Colorado ranks #6 out of 50 states for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators after-tax take-home pay.
A Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado earning a median salary of $74,200 will take home approximately $57,093 per year after federal income tax ($8,165), state income tax ($3,264), and FICA ($5,676). That is $4,757 per month or $2,195 per bi-weekly paycheck.
The effective total tax rate for a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado is 23.1%, broken down as: federal income tax 11.0%, Colorado state tax 4.4%, and FICA (Social Security + Medicare) 7.6%. This assumes a single filer with the standard deduction for 2024.
Colorado has a 4.4% flat rate. On a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators's median salary of $74,200, the state income tax amounts to $3,264 per year, which is an effective state rate of 4.4%.
After all taxes, a Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado takes home approximately $4,757 per month, or about $27.45 per hour (based on a standard 2,080-hour work year). These figures assume a single filer, standard deduction, and no additional pre-tax deductions.
We start with the 2025 BLS median salary of $74,200 for Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators in Colorado, then subtract: federal income tax using 2024 IRS brackets ($14,600 standard deduction), Colorado state income tax (4.4% flat rate), Social Security (6.2% up to $168,600), and Medicare (1.45%). The result — $57,093/yr — does not include local taxes, pre-tax deductions (401k, HSA), or tax credits.
Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.
This estimate assumes a single filer using the 2024 standard deduction ($14,600), with W-2 employment income only. It does not account for: itemized deductions, tax credits (e.g. earned income credit, child tax credit), local/city taxes, pre-tax contributions (401k, HSA, FSA), self-employment tax, or additional income sources. Actual take-home pay may differ. Consult a tax professional for personalized advice.
Our Methodology · Data Sources · Salary: BLS OEWS · Tax: IRS + State DOR