Bucket operators use a machine that lifts a bucket into the air to safely reach heights above the capacity of a ladder and carry out various maintenance tasks. They are responsible for clearing branches and shrubs from the way of right-of-ways or road signs. But most commonly, their work is related to the safekeeping of electrical wires.

Working as a bucket operator, you will not only operate a bucket truck but other pruning tools as well, such as chain saws, chippers, and the like. Occasionally you might be required to climb trees, but mostly you will be doing the trimming from the bucket.

You need no specialized education to take on this job other than a GED and a driver's license or CDL license. Being physically fit is an important requirement as you will need to stand for long stretches at a time and endure uncontrolled weather conditions. You will be working with hazardous equipment and potentially dangerous situations, so having an extended attention span is also essential.

What Does a Bucket Operator Do

There are certain skills that many bucket operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed communication skills, coordination and visual ability.

How To Become a Bucket Operator

If you're interested in becoming a bucket operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 7.6% of bucket operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 0.6% of bucket operators have master's degrees. Even though some bucket operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Bucket Operator

Bucket Operator Career Paths

Average Salary for a Bucket Operator

Bucket Operators in America make an average salary of $41,288 per year or $20 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $52,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $32,000 per year.
Average Bucket Operator Salary
$41,288 Yearly
$19.85 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Bucket Operator

There are several types of bucket operator, including:

Operator

Role:

As an operator, it's your job to know how specific equipment or machines work. You should know how to install and repair certain machinery as well as knowing how to use tools to help with the manufacturing process.

Operators often spend their time checking in on equipment and making sure it's properly working. Every problem that is detected, you'll often call upon an operators to come and save the day. They're essentially the superhero in an office setting.

In most cases, operators work full-time, normal hours. But when a client needs help, you'll need to be available. which means that sometimes duty calls at night or on the weekends.

  • Average Salary: $37,928
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Production Worker

Role:

If you want to get acquainted with the universe of mass production in factories, a Production Worker position is a great place to start. Production workers assist in the manufacturing of goods, typically at an assembly line or by carrying out various tasks in a warehouse. Working this job, you will feed materials into machines, assemble parts of products by hand at a production line, and monitor the equipment to guarantee the products are up to speed with the required quality standards.

You might be responsible for preparing and loading products for shipment, and you will have to make sure the production machinery is well maintained, your working area is clean, and everything is according to safety guidelines.

You have to be mechanically inclined to make the most of this job. You should be a team player and have excellent communication skills because, at the end of the day, it is the people who run the machines.

  • Average Salary: $30,847
  • Degree: High School Diploma

Equipment Operator

Role:

As more baby boomers retire, more equipment operator jobs are opening up. In fact, 25% of the industry will be opened up with the boomers' retirement. That means lots of job openings and plenty of job opportunities for you to take advantage of. If there was ever a right time for you to become an equipment operator, now is that time.

Another bonus of being an equipment operator is that you don't need extra education or experience to get in the drivers seat. In fact, most employers only require you to take a three-week training course before setting you loose on the job. That means in three weeks, you'll be sitting behind the wheel of that heavy-duty equipment. And with today's technology, it's basically as easy as driving a car.

Sounds like an easy enough job, right? But it's not too easy that it's boring. Every day is going to present a new challenge to you. You'll come into work each day not knowing exactly what to expect. And that's because of the variety of heavy equipment that you'll be operating and the different jobs each equipment performs. This is one job that'll make your kids proud.

  • Average Salary: $31,739
  • Degree: High School Diploma

States With The Most Bucket Operator Jobs

Number Of Bucket Operator Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1Massachusetts1,288$40,750
2New Jersey895$38,976
3Texas504$38,343
4Florida438$37,366
5California436$42,645
6Ohio365$48,841
7Georgia333$37,142
8Pennsylvania313$39,629
9North Carolina302$37,054
10Indiana251$44,876
11New York251$43,153
12Virginia233$32,639
13Illinois228$42,417
14Michigan215$33,638
15Wisconsin207$39,976
16Tennessee205$38,413
17South Carolina201$36,485
18Minnesota185$44,061
19Iowa165$38,896
20Rhode Island159$38,328
21Alabama155$30,355
22Missouri150$49,365
23Utah141$42,102
24Connecticut135$44,131
25Colorado127$44,470
26Kentucky120$35,096
27Maryland119$45,008
28Montana109$43,670
29Oregon107$41,803
30Washington102$47,022
31Arizona101$41,293
32Hawaii98$42,048
33Alaska95$40,906
34Mississippi81$42,516
35Idaho77$38,838
36New Hampshire73$43,579
37Kansas71$39,115
38Nebraska63$41,260
39Louisiana56$45,177
40Oklahoma55$39,956
41Maine52$39,151
42Nevada51$44,769
43Arkansas49$32,166
44West Virginia39$36,695
45Delaware34$37,625
46New Mexico31$44,622
47Vermont24$41,475
48South Dakota22$40,983
49Wyoming15$41,306
50North Dakota12$42,891

Bucket Operator Education

Bucket Operator Majors

12.1 %

Bucket Operator Degrees

High School Diploma

68.4 %

Diploma

10.1 %

Associate

9.5 %

Top Skills For a Bucket Operator

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 24.2% of bucket operators listed etc on their resume, but soft skills such as communication skills and coordination are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Bucket Operator Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Bucket Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Bucket Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume
Bucket Operator Resume

Bucket Operator diversity

Bucket Operator Gender Distribution

Male
Male
99%
Female
Female
1%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among bucket operators, 1.4% of them are women, while 98.6% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among bucket operators is White, which makes up 59.6% of all bucket operators.

  • The most common foreign language among bucket operators is Spanish at 100.0%.

Online Courses For Bucket Operator That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. Truck Dispatcher Training (STEP BY STEP, work independently)

udemy
4.3
(942)

FULL COURSE- How to Become a Truck Dispatcher, how to book loads for semi-trucks and start your own Dispatch Company...

2. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

udemy
4.6
(2,255)

Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

3. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment

udemy
4.5
(1,674)

Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...

Show More Online Courses For Bucket Operator
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

How Do Bucket Operators Rate Their Jobs?

Working as a Bucket Operator? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Bucket Operator Employers

Most Common Employers For Bucket Operator

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Kinder Morgan$46,928$22.561
2Sumter Utilities$42,376$20.372
3Urban$41,941$20.161
4Prism Electric$41,881$20.141
5Xylem$41,224$19.824
6Asplundh Construction$41,131$19.776
7Lewis Tree Service$41,057$19.7421
8ABC Professional Tree Services$40,979$19.704
9Bartlett Tree Experts$40,957$19.693
10Penn Line$40,952$19.695