Incinerator operator vs wastewater treatment operator

The differences between incinerator operators and wastewater 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 wastewater treatment operator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a wastewater treatment operator has an average salary of $45,618, 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 wastewater treatment operator are plant equipment, process control, and blowers.

Incinerator operator vs wastewater treatment operator overview

	Incinerator Operator	Wastewater Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$40,114	$45,618
Hourly rate	$19.29	$21.93
Growth rate	4%	-7%
Number of jobs	31,897	32,561
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	50	47
Years of experience	2	12

Incinerator operator vs wastewater treatment operator salary

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

	Incinerator Operator	Wastewater Treatment Operator
Average salary	$40,114	$45,618
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $57,000	Between $32,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	-	Mercer Island, WA
Highest paying state	-	Idaho
Best paying company	-	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between incinerator operator and wastewater treatment operator education

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

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

Incinerator operator vs wastewater treatment operator demographics

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

	Incinerator Operator	Wastewater Treatment Operator
Average age	50	47
Gender ratio	Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5%	Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0%
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, 7.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%
LGBT Percentage	4%	5%

Differences between incinerator operator and wastewater 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.

Wastewater treatment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Monitor plant and lift station performance by regularly checking SCADA system on computer.
Inspect facilities, equipment and plumbing for effects for corrosive, flammable and combustible gas.
Optimize internal controls and process to comply with new parameters set by EPA and JCA.
Review and remain current on OSHA standards and regulations for general industry and perform safety audits.
Utilize computers for SCADA monitoring, data input, work order tracking and other uses of technology.

Incinerator operator vs wastewater treatment operator skills

Common incinerator operator skills

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

Common wastewater treatment operator skills

Plant Equipment, 5%
Process Control, 5%
Blowers, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Ladders, 4%
Plant Operations, 4%

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Incinerator Operator
Incinerator Operator vs Wastewater Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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