Incinerator operator vs waste treatment operator

The differences between incinerator operators and waste treatment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an incinerator operator, becoming a waste treatment operator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a waste treatment operator has an average salary of $47,317, which is higher than the $40,114 average annual salary of an incinerator operator.

The top three skills for an incinerator operator include OSHA, hand tools and incinerators. The most important skills for a waste treatment operator are OSHA, water samples, and hazardous materials.

Incinerator operator vs waste treatment operator overview

	Incinerator Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$40,114	$47,317
Hourly rate	$19.29	$22.75
Growth rate	4%	-7%
Number of jobs	31,897	29,892
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	50	47
Years of experience	2	12

Incinerator operator vs waste treatment operator salary

Incinerator operators and waste treatment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Incinerator Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Average salary	$40,114	$47,317
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $57,000	Between $34,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between incinerator operator and waste treatment operator education

There are a few differences between an incinerator operator and a waste treatment operator in terms of educational background:

	Incinerator Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Duke University

Incinerator operator vs waste treatment operator demographics

Here are the differences between incinerator operators' and waste treatment operators' demographics:

	Incinerator Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Average age	50	47
Gender ratio	Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5%	Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	4%	5%

Differences between incinerator operator and waste treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Incinerator operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Ensure proper PPE are maintained and utilize by all personnel.
Ensure all waste are properly handle and dispose of per OSHA and AFOSH standards.
Advance to increasingly responsible positions, culminating in management role with oversight for a full-service building management.
Advance to increasingly responsible positions, culminating in management role with oversight for a full-service building management.

Waste treatment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Position require license issue by Illinois EPA.
Perform basic repairs and maintenance using plumbing and mechanical skills.
Perform repairs on all waste treatment and plating machinery, including electrical, mechanical, and plumbing relate breakdowns.
Work directly with production, engineering and maintenance personnel in the electroplating department.
Monitor, maintain and improve the operations of the industrial laboratory associate with the in house electroplating operation.

Incinerator operator vs waste treatment operator skills

Common incinerator operator skills

OSHA, 51%
Hand Tools, 18%
Incinerators, 16%
Safety Procedures, 7%
Medical Waste, 5%
Liquid Waste, 2%

Common waste treatment operator skills

OSHA, 9%
Water Samples, 8%
Hazardous Materials, 7%
Test Water, 6%
Plumbing, 6%
Safety Procedures, 5%

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Incinerator Operator
Incinerator Operator vs Waste Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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