Digger vs excavator backhoe operator

The differences between diggers and excavator backhoe operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a digger has an average salary of $46,922, which is higher than the $45,041 average annual salary of an excavator backhoe operator.

The top three skills for a digger include DUG, shovels and utility poles. The most important skills for an excavator backhoe operator are CDL, safety procedures, and asphalt.

Digger vs excavator backhoe operator overview

	Digger	Excavator Backhoe Operator
Yearly salary	$46,922	$45,041
Hourly rate	$22.56	$21.65
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	9	35,352
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 61%	High School Diploma, 58%
Average age	39	43
Years of experience	-	4

Digger vs excavator backhoe operator salary

Diggers and excavator backhoe operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Digger	Excavator Backhoe Operator
Average salary	$46,922	$45,041
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $92,000	Between $33,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between digger and excavator backhoe operator education

There are a few differences between a digger and an excavator backhoe operator in terms of educational background:

	Digger	Excavator Backhoe Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 61%	High School Diploma, 58%
Most common major	General Studies	Business
Most common college	-	-

Digger vs excavator backhoe operator demographics

Here are the differences between diggers' and excavator backhoe operators' demographics:

	Digger	Excavator Backhoe Operator
Average age	39	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 26.8% Asian, 2.3% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 2.5% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between digger and excavator backhoe operator duties and responsibilities

Digger example responsibilities.

Assemble irrigation systems according to the customer requirements dig trenches for systems, fit pipes and lay they to be install
Locate gas lines and dig them up
Mow grass, using power mower.
Fill grave back in with shovels by hand.
Utilize GPS coordinates to find and locate wells.
Perform heavy labor such as ditch digging, paving and hauling.

Excavator backhoe operator example responsibilities.

General mowing and weed eating.
Maintain park grounds through litter policing, mowing and trimming.
Operate all equipment: backhoe, skidsteer; mowers; tractors; dumptruck; aerators.
Operate machinery equip with shovels, scoops, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
Operate excavator (pipe crew) digging, sloping trenches, digging in trench boxes and around existing underground utilities.
Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, and making winter roads.

Digger vs excavator backhoe operator skills

Common digger skills

DUG, 45%
Shovels, 28%
Utility Poles, 18%
Ditch, 9%

Common excavator backhoe operator skills

CDL, 14%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Asphalt, 10%
OSHA, 10%
Manual Labor, 8%
Plumbing, 8%

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Digger vs Excavator Backhoe Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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