Hydro operator vs equipment operator

The differences between hydro operators and equipment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hydro operator, becoming an equipment operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hydro operator has an average salary of $40,931, which is higher than the $31,739 average annual salary of an equipment operator.

The top three skills for a hydro operator include CDL, safety procedures and industrial cleaning. The most important skills for an equipment operator are CDL, loaders, and asphalt.

Hydro operator vs equipment operator overview

	Hydro Operator	Equipment Operator
Yearly salary	$40,931	$31,739
Hourly rate	$19.68	$15.26
Growth rate	7%	5%
Number of jobs	39,419	62,473
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 46%
Average age	47	45
Years of experience	2	4

Hydro operator vs equipment operator salary

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

	Hydro Operator	Equipment Operator
Average salary	$40,931	$31,739
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $59,000	Between $24,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Indianapolis, IN
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Nelsen Partners
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between hydro operator and equipment operator education

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

	Hydro Operator	Equipment Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 46%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hydro operator vs equipment operator demographics

Here are the differences between hydro operators' and equipment operators' demographics:

	Hydro Operator	Equipment Operator
Average age	47	45
Gender ratio	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%	Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 4.7% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 0.9% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
LGBT Percentage	11%	2%

Differences between hydro operator and equipment operator duties and responsibilities

Hydro operator example responsibilities.

Used high-pressure water and vacuum system to excavate debris from oil drilling rig tanks and other various containers.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Instruct several in-house classes to include H2S awareness and hazard awareness.

Equipment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and cross-train subordinates in several job-relate tasks while promoting leadership.
Operate track loader, dozer, excavator, track skid loader, rubber tire loader, and haul truck as assigned.
Operate heavy equipment including loaders and rollers.
Operate bulldozers, compactors, and scrapers for residential land development
Work include backhoe operation, equipment operation, landscaping and snow removal
Operate backhoes and trench diggers.

Hydro operator vs equipment operator skills

Common hydro operator skills

CDL, 46%
Safety Procedures, 13%
Industrial Cleaning, 9%
DOT, 7%
Hydro Blasting, 4%
Frac, 4%

Common equipment operator skills

CDL, 10%
Loaders, 7%
Asphalt, 5%
Backhoe, 5%
Hand Tools, 5%
Safety Rules, 4%