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The differences between instrument operators and survey party chiefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a survey party chief has an average salary of $45,923, which is higher than the $43,179 average annual salary of an instrument operator.
The top three skills for an instrument operator include GPS, survey equipment and data collection. The most important skills for a survey party chief are GPS, survey party, and survey equipment.
| Instrument Operator | Survey Party Chief | |
| Yearly salary | $43,179 | $45,923 |
| Hourly rate | $20.76 | $22.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 29,503 | 15,901 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
Instrument operators assist a construction or surveying crew in the assessment of topography. The operators provide assistance in clearing obstructions from any instrument. They take GPS shots while operating the crew as party chief. These professionals work under the supervision of surveyors and licensed engineers performing GPS and boundary surveys. They can be considered as specialists in tree tagging, environmental protection, and personal property surveying. The scope of their duties also includes data collection, construction surveys, and civil engineering.
Survey party chiefs are individuals distinguished from an engineering technician class. The chiefs supervise land surveys, plan, and assess the proposed field survey projects. They gather field data using the necessary equipment. Their job involves managing equipment logistics, travel-related budgets, and recruiting local staff. They perform work on several highway projects like fills and cuts, bridgework, and centerline layouts. Also, they execute data analysis and offer recommendations for the expansion of military bases and to achieve runway capabilities.
Instrument operators and survey party chiefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instrument Operator | Survey Party Chief | |
| Average salary | $43,179 | $45,923 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $62,000 | Between $31,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Jackson, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Bowman Consulting Group |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an instrument operator and a survey party chief in terms of educational background:
| Instrument Operator | Survey Party Chief | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Surveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic Technologies |
| Most common college | - | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between instrument operators' and survey party chiefs' demographics:
| Instrument Operator | Survey Party Chief | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0% | Male, 96.7% Female, 3.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 74.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 3.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 7% |