Control room operator vs operator

The differences between control room operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a control room operator has an average salary of $43,733, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.

The top three skills for a control room operator include control room operations, plant operations and safety procedures. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Control room operator vs operator overview

	Control Room Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$43,733	$37,928
Hourly rate	$21.03	$18.23
Growth rate	-15%	7%
Number of jobs	89,096	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	46	43
Years of experience	-	4

What does a control room operator do?

A control room operator is an individual who works in the control room of a power plant to monitor the operations of the plant as well as ensures that everything is properly working. By using computer controls, control room operators must monitor and maintain plant equipment and indicators for proper operation. They must perform maintenance on various plant equipment to help improve reliability while monitoring the temperature to control plant heat. Control room operators must also serve as the control point for all individuals who enter the toxic areas of the facility.

What does an operator do?

Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.

Control room operator vs operator salary

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

	Control Room Operator	Operator
Average salary	$43,733	$37,928
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $62,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Commerce City, CO	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	North Dakota
Best paying company	California Resources	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between control room operator and operator education

There are a few differences between a control room operator and an operator in terms of educational background:

	Control Room Operator	Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Control room operator vs operator demographics

Here are the differences between control room operators' and operators' demographics:

	Control Room Operator	Operator
Average age	46	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 1.5% White, 77.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	4%

Differences between control room operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Control room operator example responsibilities.

Lead and manage the redesign of system SCADA schematic's, revise system load calculations and regional load shedding programs.
Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Perform inspections of area by accessing ladders and stairwells.
Run coating machine Pre-QC boards before sending to QC.
Serve a lead producer; direct crew to ensure show run smoothly.
Operate support utilities, including cascade HVAC, power distribution, and emergency generators.

Show more

Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

Show more

Control room operator vs operator skills

Common control room operator skills

Control Room Operations, 8%
Plant Operations, 7%
Safety Procedures, 7%
Plant Equipment, 6%
Ladders, 6%
Emergency Situations, 6%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%

Control Room Operator vs. similar jobs

Control Room Operator related careers

Control Room Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z