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The differences between control room operators and process 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 $37,996 average annual salary of a process operator.
The top three skills for a control room operator include control room operations, plant operations and safety procedures. The most important skills for a process operator are safety procedures, preventative maintenance, and team-oriented environment.
| Control Room Operator | Process Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $43,733 | $37,996 |
| Hourly rate | $21.03 | $18.27 |
| Growth rate | -15% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 89,096 | 83,478 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
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.
A process operator's role is to supervise all production operations in a manufacturing plant or similar setting. To ensure the efficiency and safety of the workforce and the workload, a process operator must regularly conduct inspections on the manufacturing processes and provide an assessment of the employees' progress. There are also duties that involve producing reports and presentations, keeping and updating data, performing audits, and managing work schedules. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain a healthy and safe environment for everyone, all while adhering and implementing the policies and regulations of the company.
Control room operators and process operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Control Room Operator | Process Operator | |
| Average salary | $43,733 | $37,996 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $62,000 | Between $29,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Commerce City, CO | Grand Forks, ND |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Wyoming |
| Best paying company | California Resources | BWX Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a control room operator and a process operator in terms of educational background:
| Control Room Operator | Process Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between control room operators' and process operators' demographics:
| Control Room Operator | Process Operator | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 4.5% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |