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The differences between maintenance operators and maintenance engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a maintenance operator and a maintenance engineer. Additionally, a maintenance engineer has an average salary of $47,133, which is higher than the $35,420 average annual salary of a maintenance operator.
The top three skills for a maintenance operator include hand tools, CDL and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a maintenance engineer are plumbing, HVAC, and guest rooms.
| Maintenance Operator | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,420 | $47,133 |
| Hourly rate | $17.03 | $22.66 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 142,679 | 97,957 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Maintenance operators are skilled technicians who use a variety of small equipment and tools to perform and assist in the maintenance activities of a business establishment. These operators are required to assist the equipment manager in preparing preventative maintenance procedures so that they can increase productivity and reduce downtime of equipment. They must enforce safety rules and regulations and ensure that staff members are following them to prevent accidents in the facility. Maintenance operators must also train maintenance employees in performing proper preventative maintenance.
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
Maintenance operators and maintenance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Maintenance Operator | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $35,420 | $47,133 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $47,000 | Between $29,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Continental Resources | Halliburton |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a maintenance operator and a maintenance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Maintenance Operator | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between maintenance operators' and maintenance engineers' demographics:
| Maintenance Operator | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |