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The differences between instrument people and instrument operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an instrument person has an average salary of $43,699, which is higher than the $43,179 average annual salary of an instrument operator.
The top three skills for an instrument person include topographic surveys, data collection and survey equipment. The most important skills for an instrument operator are GPS, survey equipment, and data collection.
| Instrument Person | Instrument Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $43,699 | $43,179 |
| Hourly rate | $21.01 | $20.76 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 35,373 | 29,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An instrument person is also called a survey party chief. They are responsible for preparing and conducting surveys before a particular land is constructed and developed. They usually oversee a group of professionals such as surveyors, contractors, project managers, engineers, and architects to ensure that all duties are done correctly and safely. They assign the staff to particular jobs based on their expertise and conduct a pre-survey before the project starts.
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.
Instrument people and instrument operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instrument Person | Instrument Operator | |
| Average salary | $43,699 | $43,179 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $63,000 | Between $29,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an instrument person and an instrument operator in terms of educational background:
| Instrument Person | Instrument Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Surveying, Mapping, And Hydraulic Technologies | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between instrument people' and instrument operators' demographics:
| Instrument Person | Instrument Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 93.0% Female, 7.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 3.2% White, 74.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |