Hydro operator vs terminal operator

The differences between hydro operators and terminal 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 a terminal operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hydro operator has an average salary of $40,931, which is higher than the $39,948 average annual salary of a terminal operator.

The top three skills for a hydro operator include CDL, safety procedures and industrial cleaning. The most important skills for a terminal operator are loaders, cranes, and rail cars.

Hydro operator vs terminal operator overview

	Hydro Operator	Terminal Operator
Yearly salary	$40,931	$39,948
Hourly rate	$19.68	$19.21
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	39,419	43,328
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	47	43
Years of experience	2	4

Hydro operator vs terminal operator salary

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

	Hydro Operator	Terminal Operator
Average salary	$40,931	$39,948
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $59,000	Between $32,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	-	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Land O'Lakes
Best paying industry	-	Construction

Differences between hydro operator and terminal operator education

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

	Hydro Operator	Terminal Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 41%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Hydro operator vs terminal operator demographics

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

	Hydro Operator	Terminal Operator
Average age	47	43
Gender ratio	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%	Male, 82.5% Female, 17.5%
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, 15.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	11%	4%

Differences between hydro operator and terminal 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.

Terminal operator example responsibilities.

Manage the efficient use of locomotives and fuel to ensure that freight car cycles are effectively manage while in the terminals.
Operate forklift, loaders, bulldozers, excavators, ship hydraulic cranes.
Pull LTL loads for shipment.
Experience in Lock-Out/Tag-Out (LOTO).
Operate forklifts and loaders for loading aircraft.
Complete and signs declaration of inspection (Doi).

Hydro operator vs terminal operator skills

Common hydro operator skills

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

Common terminal operator skills

Loaders, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Rail Cars, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
TWIC, 5%
General Maintenance, 5%