Excavator operator vs coal equipment operator

The differences between excavator operators and coal equipment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an excavator operator, becoming a coal equipment operator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an excavator operator has an average salary of $46,102, which is higher than the $43,372 average annual salary of a coal equipment operator.

The top three skills for an excavator operator include CDL, OSHA and backhoe. The most important skills for a coal equipment operator are loaders, end loaders, and general maintenance.

Excavator operator vs coal equipment operator overview

	Excavator Operator	Coal Equipment Operator
Yearly salary	$46,102	$43,372
Hourly rate	$22.16	$20.85
Growth rate	4%	5%
Number of jobs	36,584	43,969
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 61%
Average age	43	45
Years of experience	4	2

Excavator operator vs coal equipment operator salary

Excavator operators and coal equipment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Excavator Operator	Coal Equipment Operator
Average salary	$46,102	$43,372
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $62,000	Between $33,000 And $56,000
Highest paying City	Baltimore, MD	-
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	-
Best paying company	Roto	-
Best paying industry	Energy	-

Differences between excavator operator and coal equipment operator education

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

	Excavator Operator	Coal Equipment Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 61%
Most common major	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies	Mining Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Excavator operator vs coal equipment operator demographics

Here are the differences between excavator operators' and coal equipment operators' demographics:

	Excavator Operator	Coal Equipment Operator
Average age	43	45
Gender ratio	Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9%	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, 5.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 0.9% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between excavator operator and coal equipment operator duties and responsibilities

Excavator operator example responsibilities.

Experience in operating heavy equipment including excavators, front end loaders, skid loaders, tractors, etc.
Obtain CDL with Hazmat and tanker endorsements.
Create safe slopes and proper barricading during excavations.
Locate under grind utilitys via blue print GPS mapdata.
Position is a laborer working on the mowing crew.
Dig safe bell holes that meet osha standards and company policy standards

Coal equipment operator example responsibilities.

Operate loaders, bulldozers, and dump truck
Operate loaders, bulldozer, dump truck, road grader.
Drive a truck with a capacity of at least 80,000 GVW, to transport coal and rock in loose form.
Follow all power equipment rules and regulation including any regulatory agency policies to include OSHA.
Operate loader, bulldozer, crane and maintain all coal and limestone conveyor belts
Manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients using GMP format and aseptic techniques.

Excavator operator vs coal equipment operator skills

Common excavator operator skills

CDL, 12%
OSHA, 10%
Backhoe, 9%
Manual Labor, 8%
Asphalt, 6%
Plumbing, 6%

Common coal equipment operator skills

Loaders, 47%
End Loaders, 20%
General Maintenance, 18%
Bulldozers, 11%
Fuel Samples, 5%

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Excavator Operator
Excavator Operator vs Coal Equipment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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