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The differences between petroleum supply specialists and refinery 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 petroleum supply specialist and a refinery operator. Additionally, a petroleum supply specialist has an average salary of $61,978, which is higher than the $47,058 average annual salary of a refinery operator.
The top three skills for a petroleum supply specialist include safety procedures, math and MOS. The most important skills for a refinery operator are safety procedures, ladders, and product quality.
| Petroleum Supply Specialist | Refinery Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $61,978 | $47,058 |
| Hourly rate | $29.80 | $22.62 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 17,014 | 34,423 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Working for the military, a petroleum supply specialist is primarily in charge of managing petroleum supplies and petroleum-based machines, vehicles, and tools, ensuring that they are functioning smoothly and efficiently. Moreover, a petroleum supply specialist must be proactive and conditioned for any situation as they may be assigned on-base or in-field. Their responsibilities typically include receiving and organizing supplies, liaising with procurement officers, coordinating with other staff to hand over the necessary supplies, establishing delivery routes, and performing regular maintenance and safety inspections to ensure that all equipment is in good working condition.
Refinery operators oversee the entire production process of the plant operation. Responsibilities for this position are as diverse as the required knowledge fields, including identifying and correcting refinery process issues, operating equipment, monitoring meters and gauges, and meeting set area production goals. It necessitates many knowledge requirements, including, but not at all limited to product quality, control room operations, safety procedures, OSHA regulations, and process conditions.
Petroleum supply specialists and refinery operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Petroleum Supply Specialist | Refinery Operator | |
| Average salary | $61,978 | $47,058 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $118,000 | Between $30,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a petroleum supply specialist and a refinery operator in terms of educational background:
| Petroleum Supply Specialist | Refinery Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between petroleum supply specialists' and refinery operators' demographics:
| Petroleum Supply Specialist | Refinery Operator | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.2% Female, 23.8% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |