Control operator vs plant controller

The differences between control operators and plant controllers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a control operator, becoming a plant controller takes usually requires 6-8 years. Additionally, a plant controller has an average salary of $99,550, which is higher than the $42,885 average annual salary of a control operator.

The top three skills for a control operator include customer service, safety procedures and payroll. The most important skills for a plant controller are internal controls, GAAP, and plant management.

Control operator vs plant controller overview

	Control Operator	Plant Controller
Yearly salary	$42,885	$99,550
Hourly rate	$20.62	$47.86
Growth rate	-8%	17%
Number of jobs	64,435	47,555
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age	43	46
Years of experience	2	8

What does a control operator do?

The duties of a control operator depend on their line of work or industry of employment. Typically, it includes adhering to a set of protocols, controlling machines and equipment, identifying the needs of daily operations, and performing regular maintenance checks, conducting repairs when necessary. There are also instances where they must produce progress reports, address and resolve issues, and implement solutions. Furthermore, as a control operator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with fellow employees, coordinating every step of the way for a safe and efficient workflow.

What does a plant controller do?

A plant controller works at factories where they are primarily in charge of administrative duties and ensuring that operations adhere to budgets, schedules, and standards. As a plant controller, they are also responsible for gathering and analyzing financial data, analyzing cost reports, preparing financial statements, maintaining databases, performing audits and risk assessments, and overseeing the accounting team procedures. Additionally, they also supervise staff operations and address issues and concerns while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Control operator vs plant controller salary

Control operators and plant controllers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Control Operator	Plant Controller
Average salary	$42,885	$99,550
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $55,000	Between $72,000 And $136,000
Highest paying City	Hoffman Estates, IL	Reno, NV
Highest paying state	Illinois	Nevada
Best paying company	Battelle	Arkema
Best paying industry	Energy	Finance

Differences between control operator and plant controller education

There are a few differences between a control operator and a plant controller in terms of educational background:

	Control Operator	Plant Controller
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common major	Accounting	Accounting
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Control operator vs plant controller demographics

Here are the differences between control operators' and plant controllers' demographics:

	Control Operator	Plant Controller
Average age	43	46
Gender ratio	Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2%	Male, 75.9% Female, 24.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 7.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	6%	11%

Differences between control operator and plant controller duties and responsibilities

Control operator example responsibilities.

Manage day to day processing of accounts receivable and payable using QuickBooks, producing reports as needed.
Manage all financial activities including financial reporting, general accounting, budgeting, cost accounting, A/R, A/P.
Manage, analyze, and prepare period- and year-end documentation, ensuring generally accept accounting principles (GAAP) adherence.
Manage logistics to increase shipping efficiency and reduce transportation costs.
Manage business unit income statements, product-line contribution margin reporting and absorption analysis.
Coordinate and manage annual physical inventory as well as inventory valuation in accordance with Canadian GAAP.

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Plant controller example responsibilities.

Manage and correct balance sheet issues including property taxes, miscellaneous accruals, inventories, and capital work- in-progress accounts.
Implement Sarbanes-Oxley internal control policy and procedures which lead to successful annual internal and external audits.
Manage general accounting functions, including monthly financial statements and audit reports, and monthly account reconciliations.
Manage monthly closing process including, account reconciliations, account analysis, preparation of monthly financial statements and other management reports.
Participate in the implementation of an ERP system that accomplish key strategic initiatives including job costing and a perpetual inventory system.
SAP (at the plant level) and Hyperion (at the corporate level) are used in financial reporting.

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Control operator vs plant controller skills

Common control operator skills

Customer Service, 11%
Safety Procedures, 7%
Payroll, 6%
Financial Reports, 4%
CPA, 4%
Logistics, 4%

Common plant controller skills

Internal Controls, 6%
GAAP, 5%
Plant Management, 5%
Continuous Improvement, 5%
Reconciliations, 4%
Financial Analysis, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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