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The differences between labour operators and engineering equipment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a labour operator and an engineering equipment operator. Additionally, an engineering equipment operator has an average salary of $43,840, which is higher than the $34,180 average annual salary of a labour operator.
The top three skills for a labour operator include safety regulations, CDL and dump truck. The most important skills for an engineering equipment operator are end loaders, CDL, and DOT.
| Labour Operator | Engineering Equipment Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $34,180 | $43,840 |
| Hourly rate | $16.43 | $21.08 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 61,894 | 98,148 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Labor operators typically drive, maneuver the heavy machinery used to construct buildings, bridges, roads, and other structures. Their tasks and duties include cleaning and maintaining construction equipment, reporting faulty mechanism to supervisors, driving and operating equipment, and ensuring that the standards for safety are met. They often work with different kinds of construction equipment and may maneuver loading and excavation machinery. They also operate and maintain other power construction equipment such as air compressors and pumps at their working sites.
An engineering equipment operator runs heavy construction machinery. Engineering equipment operators drive and control any construction equipment. Among the equipment they operate are forklifts, cargo trucks, hydraulic truck cranes, dump trucks, backhoes, and bulldozers. They use any of the equipment to provide assistance in structure construction like roads, buildings, and bridges. The operators should be well-trained in doing these duties. They should develop analytical skills, teamwork, physical strength and stamina, attention to detail, and knowledge of the production procedures.
Labour operators and engineering equipment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Labour Operator | Engineering Equipment Operator | |
| Average salary | $34,180 | $43,840 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $43,000 | Between $31,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Sierra Pacific Industries | ConocoPhillips |
| Best paying industry | Education | Energy |
There are a few differences between a labour operator and an engineering equipment operator in terms of educational background:
| Labour Operator | Engineering Equipment Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between labour operators' and engineering equipment operators' demographics:
| Labour Operator | Engineering Equipment Operator | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 1.0% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 0.9% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |