Auxiliary plant operator vs water plant operator

The differences between auxiliary plant operators and water plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an auxiliary plant operator and a water plant operator. Additionally, a water plant operator has an average salary of $45,853, which is higher than the $45,592 average annual salary of an auxiliary plant operator.

The top three skills for an auxiliary plant operator include LOTO, plant equipment and hand tools. The most important skills for a water plant operator are water treatment plant, plant equipment, and water samples.

Auxiliary plant operator vs water plant operator overview

	Auxiliary Plant Operator	Water Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$45,592	$45,853
Hourly rate	$21.92	$22.04
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	35,335	39,348
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Auxiliary plant operator vs water plant operator salary

Auxiliary plant operators and water plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Auxiliary Plant Operator	Water Plant Operator
Average salary	$45,592	$45,853
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $32,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Santa Clara Valley Water District
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between auxiliary plant operator and water plant operator education

There are a few differences between an auxiliary plant operator and a water plant operator in terms of educational background:

	Auxiliary Plant Operator	Water Plant Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Industrial Technology	Business
Most common college	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Auxiliary plant operator vs water plant operator demographics

Here are the differences between auxiliary plant operators' and water plant operators' demographics:

	Auxiliary Plant Operator	Water Plant Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6%	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between auxiliary plant operator and water plant operator duties and responsibilities

Auxiliary plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Perform preventive maintenance with tools in mechanical rooms, HVAC, kitchen, and cooking equipment.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Operate small rotating biological contractor plant that utilize activated sludge with sand filters and UV disinfection to process wastewater.

Water plant operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Operate small rotating biological contractor plant that utilize activated sludge with sand filters and UV disinfection to process wastewater.

Auxiliary plant operator vs water plant operator skills

Common auxiliary plant operator skills

LOTO, 39%
Plant Equipment, 34%
Hand Tools, 18%
Plant Systems, 7%
Water Pumps, 2%

Common water plant operator skills

Water Treatment Plant, 10%
Plant Equipment, 6%
Water Samples, 6%
Lab Tests, 6%
SCADA, 6%
Water Quality, 5%

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Auxiliary Plant Operator
Auxiliary Plant Operator vs Water Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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