Mixing plant operator vs process plant operator

The differences between mixing plant operators and process plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mixing plant operator has an average salary of $45,979, which is higher than the $41,902 average annual salary of a process plant operator.

The top three skills for a mixing plant operator include CDL, asphalt and plant equipment. The most important skills for a process plant operator are plant operations, plant process, and minor maintenance.

Mixing plant operator vs process plant operator overview

	Mixing Plant Operator	Process Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$45,979	$41,902
Hourly rate	$22.11	$20.15
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	34,951	61,085
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Average age	44	47
Years of experience	-	2

Mixing plant operator vs process plant operator salary

Mixing plant operators and process plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mixing Plant Operator	Process Plant Operator
Average salary	$45,979	$41,902
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $63,000	Between $28,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between mixing plant operator and process plant operator education

There are a few differences between a mixing plant operator and a process plant operator in terms of educational background:

	Mixing Plant Operator	Process Plant Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Business
Most common college	-	-

Mixing plant operator vs process plant operator demographics

Here are the differences between mixing plant operators' and process plant operators' demographics:

	Mixing Plant Operator	Process Plant Operator
Average age	44	47
Gender ratio	Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6%	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 4.3% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	11%

Differences between mixing plant operator and process plant operator duties and responsibilities

Mixing plant operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Complete rig up, and rig down of all equipment associate with mixing plant operations.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Operate tools, including hoists, saws and drills.

Process plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage distillation process to determine product specification compliance, and prepare unit for shutdown or turnaround process.
Move to the assembly department building electrical panels, installing electrical panels, installing various electrical devices on new centrifuges.
Batch SCC, Shotcrete and other loads to client specifications.

Mixing plant operator vs process plant operator skills

Common mixing plant operator skills

CDL, 38%
Asphalt, 20%
Plant Equipment, 16%
Plant Maintenance, 16%
Rig, 6%
Plant Operations, 3%

Common process plant operator skills

Plant Operations, 30%
Plant Process, 10%
Minor Maintenance, 9%
Plant Equipment, 7%
OSHA, 7%
Continuous Operation, 6%

Mixing Plant Operator vs. similar jobs

Mixing Plant Operator related careers

Mixing Plant Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Mixing Plant Operator
Mixing Plant Operator vs Process Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs