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The differences between lease operators and owner/operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lease operator and an owner/operator. Additionally, an owner/operator has an average salary of $167,288, which is higher than the $25,625 average annual salary of a lease operator.
The top three skills for a lease operator include OTR, CDL and tractor trailer. The most important skills for an owner/operator are CDL, PET, and customer service.
| Lease Operator | Owner/Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $25,625 | $167,288 |
| Hourly rate | $12.32 | $80.43 |
| Growth rate | -7% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 33,754 | 119,599 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A lease operator is responsible for inspecting the efficiency and optimal performance of equipment and machinery and measuring the oil from the operation of the wells. Lease operators report the inconsistencies and failures of the equipment for immediate repair and replacement to avoid delays and prevent potential hazards. They ensure that the extraction process adheres to strict protocols and environmental regulations. A lease operator must have comprehensive knowledge of computer systems, especially on reporting the amount of natural oil and gas digitally.
Owners/operators manage the business in all aspects, especially in those related to operations. They ensure that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. They oversee finance, marketing, logistics, sales, and even the human resources of the whole organization. They set business goals, create action plans to achieve them, and make sure that the plans are followed through. They set strategic direction and make business decisions that would be the most beneficial to the organization. They ensure that the business has enough funds to continue operating and that the quality of the products and services they offer continuously improve.
Lease operators and owner/operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lease Operator | Owner/Operator | |
| Average salary | $25,625 | $167,288 |
| Salary range | Between $5,000 And $109,000 | Between $105,000 And $264,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Bridgeport, CT |
| Highest paying state | - | Oregon |
| Best paying company | - | Reddy Ice |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lease operator and an owner/operator in terms of educational background:
| Lease Operator | Owner/Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lease operators' and owner/operators' demographics:
| Lease Operator | Owner/Operator | |
| Average age | 40 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5% | Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 1.2% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 3.6% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 4% |