Also called: Public Works Director, Water Utility General Manager
Runs a city's water and sewer system: treatment plants, pipes, budgets, and the crews.
You present a plan to replace old lead pipes to the city council, check on a water main break, and make sure the system passes every federal test.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in civil/environmental engineering or public administration plus years of experience.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school, On-the-job training. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Public Administration.
Growing much faster than average (about 9% over 10 years). Uses BLS construction/public works manager-style projection.
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps plan pipe replacement and budgets; public trust, crises like boil notices and city councils need a human leader.
Classes: AP Government, AP Environmental Science, Economics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 11-9021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.