Excavator backhoe operator vs track hoe operator

The differences between excavator backhoe operators and track hoe operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an excavator backhoe operator and a track hoe operator. Additionally, a track hoe operator has an average salary of $46,992, which is higher than the $45,041 average annual salary of an excavator backhoe operator.

The top three skills for an excavator backhoe operator include CDL, safety procedures and asphalt. The most important skills for a track hoe operator are track hoe, loaders, and bulldozers.

Excavator backhoe operator vs track hoe operator overview

	Excavator Backhoe Operator	Track Hoe Operator
Yearly salary	$45,041	$46,992
Hourly rate	$21.65	$22.59
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	35,352	26,675
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 67%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Excavator backhoe operator vs track hoe operator salary

Excavator backhoe operators and track hoe operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Excavator Backhoe Operator	Track Hoe Operator
Average salary	$45,041	$46,992
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $60,000	Between $36,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between excavator backhoe operator and track hoe operator education

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

	Excavator Backhoe Operator	Track Hoe Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 58%	High School Diploma, 67%
Most common major	Business	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies
Most common college	-	-

Excavator backhoe operator vs track hoe operator demographics

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

	Excavator Backhoe Operator	Track Hoe Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4%	Male, 97.3% Female, 2.7%
Race ratio	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%	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 excavator backhoe operator and track hoe operator duties and responsibilities

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.

Track hoe operator example responsibilities.

Clean, load and unload asphalt for construction work sites.
Clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris and other waste materials.
Operate various large excavators, for demolition and excavating
Have ran various size dozers from cat d5 to cat d11.
Operate 650 JD , 700, JDPush brush, clear land for surface mine, reclaim steep grade, fix landslide.
Finish grade slopes with D5 dozer, and finish grade all west bound lanes and exits

Excavator backhoe operator vs track hoe operator skills

Common excavator backhoe operator skills

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

Common track hoe operator skills

Track Hoe, 30%
Loaders, 19%
Bulldozers, 14%
Asphalt, 11%
Grade Stakes, 10%
DIG, 4%

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Excavator Backhoe Operator
Excavator Backhoe Operator vs Track Hoe Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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