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The differences between electric system operators and plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an electric system operator and a plant operator. Additionally, an electric system operator has an average salary of $63,571, which is higher than the $42,697 average annual salary of a plant operator.
The top three skills for an electric system operator include SCADA, NERC and substation equipment. The most important skills for a plant operator are plant equipment, plant operations, and preventative maintenance.
| Electric System Operator | Plant Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $63,571 | $42,697 |
| Hourly rate | $30.56 | $20.53 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 40,733 | 43,388 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Electric system operators and plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electric System Operator | Plant Operator | |
| Average salary | $63,571 | $42,697 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $163,000 | Between $32,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Idaho |
| Best paying company | - | NW Natural |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between an electric system operator and a plant operator in terms of educational background:
| Electric System Operator | Plant Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
Here are the differences between electric system operators' and plant operators' demographics:
| Electric System Operator | Plant Operator | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5% | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |