Certified solid waste facility operator vs equipment operator-driver

The differences between certified solid waste facility operators and equipment operators-driver can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a certified solid waste facility operator, becoming an equipment operator-driver takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a certified solid waste facility operator has an average salary of $36,698, which is higher than the $36,429 average annual salary of an equipment operator-driver.

The top three skills for a certified solid waste facility operator include CDL, end loaders and loaders. The most important skills for an equipment operator-driver are CDL, dump truck, and loaders.

Certified solid waste facility operator vs equipment operator-driver overview

	Certified Solid Waste Facility Operator	Equipment Operator-Driver
Yearly salary	$36,698	$36,429
Hourly rate	$17.64	$17.51
Growth rate	4%	5%
Number of jobs	71,444	607,301
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	46	45
Years of experience	2	4

Certified solid waste facility operator vs equipment operator-driver salary

Certified solid waste facility operators and equipment operators-driver have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Solid Waste Facility Operator	Equipment Operator-Driver
Average salary	$36,698	$36,429
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $50,000	Between $28,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between certified solid waste facility operator and equipment operator-driver education

There are a few differences between a certified solid waste facility operator and an equipment operator-driver in terms of educational background:

	Certified Solid Waste Facility Operator	Equipment Operator-Driver
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 30%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Certified solid waste facility operator vs equipment operator-driver demographics

Here are the differences between certified solid waste facility operators' and equipment operators-driver' demographics:

	Certified Solid Waste Facility Operator	Equipment Operator-Driver
Average age	46	45
Gender ratio	Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6%	Male, 96.2% Female, 3.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 0.9% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	2%

Differences between certified solid waste facility operator and equipment operator-driver duties and responsibilities

Certified solid waste facility operator example responsibilities.

Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Maintain proper communication with management and frac crews on/off-site.

Equipment operator-driver example responsibilities.

Deliver hazmat material to job site.
Operate airfield/street sweepers to remove debris from pavement surfaces.
Unload full pallets and double pallets of groceries and merchandise.
Landscape, plant flowers, grass, shrubs and bushes.
Arrive at and depart from pickup and discharge points as required.
Conduct pre and post trip inspections and regularly service the vehicles.

Certified solid waste facility operator vs equipment operator-driver skills

Common certified solid waste facility operator skills

CDL, 45%
End Loaders, 19%
Loaders, 12%
Routine Maintenance, 12%
Yard Waste, 6%
Vehicle Inspections, 2%

Common equipment operator-driver skills

CDL, 23%
Dump Truck, 10%
Loaders, 7%
Tractor Trailer, 5%
DOT, 5%
Post-Trip Inspections, 4%

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Certified Solid Waste Facility Operator
Certified Solid Waste Facility Operator vs Equipment Operator-Driver

Updated January 8, 2025

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