Incinerator operator vs water plant operator

The differences between incinerator operators and water plant 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 water plant operator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a water plant operator has an average salary of $45,853, 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 water plant operator are water treatment plant, plant equipment, and water samples.

Incinerator operator vs water plant operator overview

	Incinerator Operator	Water Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$40,114	$45,853
Hourly rate	$19.29	$22.04
Growth rate	4%	-7%
Number of jobs	31,897	39,348
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	50	47
Years of experience	2	12

Incinerator operator vs water plant operator salary

Incinerator operators and water plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Incinerator Operator	Water Plant Operator
Average salary	$40,114	$45,853
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $57,000	Between $32,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Santa Clara Valley Water District
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between incinerator operator and water plant operator education

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

	Incinerator Operator	Water Plant Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Incinerator operator vs water plant operator demographics

Here are the differences between incinerator operators' and water plant operators' demographics:

	Incinerator Operator	Water Plant Operator
Average age	50	47
Gender ratio	Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5%	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
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, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%
LGBT Percentage	4%	5%

Differences between incinerator operator and water plant 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.

Water plant operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Operate small rotating biological contractor plant that utilize activated sludge with sand filters and UV disinfection to process wastewater.

Incinerator operator vs water plant operator skills

Common incinerator operator skills

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

Common water plant operator skills

Water Treatment Plant, 10%
Plant Equipment, 6%
Water Samples, 6%
Lab Tests, 6%
SCADA, 6%
Water Quality, 5%

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Incinerator Operator
Incinerator Operator vs Water Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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