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The differences between chemical operators and pilot plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a chemical operator and a pilot plant operator. Additionally, a pilot plant operator has an average salary of $42,462, which is higher than the $40,526 average annual salary of a chemical operator.
The top three skills for a chemical operator include safety procedures, math and process equipment. The most important skills for a pilot plant operator are powerpoint, NAS, and federal aviation administration.
| Chemical Operator | Pilot Plant Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $40,526 | $42,462 |
| Hourly rate | $19.48 | $20.41 |
| Growth rate | 4% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 36,522 | 37,804 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A chemical operator is responsible for maintaining heavy machines and equipment for chemical processing operations. Chemical operators inspect machinery for any malfunctions, perform immediate repairs, and replace defective components as needed to ensure the equipment's safety and efficiency. They carefully handle chemicals, observe the mixing process, and support process development by assisting on strategic procedures to maximize productivity and plan initiatives. A chemical operator must adhere to the safety protocols of the production, especially on storing chemicals, recording information to the database, and operating machines.
Pilot plant operators are responsible for the preparation of chemical solutions through standardized formulas to design, test, and validate experimental apparatus or production technology needed for the development of new products or processes. The pilot plants aid engineers in the decision-making about new technologies or other process configurations. The operator's role is to clean or sterilize and maintain laboratory equipment and to evaluate product quality to comply with the standards and specifications.
Chemical operators and pilot plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemical Operator | Pilot Plant Operator | |
| Average salary | $40,526 | $42,462 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $27,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | - |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a chemical operator and a pilot plant operator in terms of educational background:
| Chemical Operator | Pilot Plant Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Chemical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Cincinnati |
Here are the differences between chemical operators' and pilot plant operators' demographics:
| Chemical Operator | Pilot Plant Operator | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 79.0% Female, 21.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |