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The differences between blade operators and operating engineers apprentice can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a blade operator and an operating engineer apprentice. Additionally, an operating engineer apprentice has an average salary of $55,924, which is higher than the $46,245 average annual salary of a blade operator.
The top three skills for a blade operator include asphalt, GPS and trimble gps. The most important skills for an operating engineer apprentice are mechanical equipment, plumbing, and CDL.
Blade operators and operating engineers apprentice have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Blade Operator | Operating Engineer Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $46,245 | $55,924 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $60,000 | Between $43,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a blade operator and an operating engineer apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Blade Operator | Operating Engineer Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between blade operators' and operating engineers apprentice' demographics:
| Blade Operator | Operating Engineer Apprentice | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 87.3% Female, 12.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 0.9% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 0.9% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |