Plant operator vs certified medical technician

The differences between plant operators and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a plant operator and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a plant operator has an average salary of $42,697, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for a plant operator include plant equipment, plant operations and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Plant operator vs certified medical technician overview

	Plant Operator	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$42,697	$38,859
Hourly rate	$20.53	$18.68
Growth rate	-7%	5%
Number of jobs	43,388	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	47	44
Years of experience	12	12

What does a plant operator do?

A plant operator's primary role is to supervise and oversee operations in an industrial setting. They are responsible for controlling machinery and equipment, coordinating with fellow officers, monitoring the quality of progress among a particular unit or department, and maintaining daily operations records. A plant operator may also respond to inquiries and issues, perform basic troubleshooting, and provide corrective measures. Furthermore, a plant operator must conduct regular inspection and maintenance to ensure a safe work environment for everyone, all while implementing the plant's safety policies and regulations.

What does a certified medical technician do?

Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.

Plant operator vs certified medical technician salary

Plant operators and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plant Operator	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$42,697	$38,859
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $56,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Sacramento, CA	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Idaho	Alaska
Best paying company	NW Natural	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between plant operator and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a plant operator and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Plant Operator	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	University of Connecticut

Plant operator vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between plant operators' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Plant Operator	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	47	44
Gender ratio	Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	8%

Differences between plant operator and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and operate the DCS system or control board.
Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Used basic math skills to calculate the weight of the ammonia by the price it are per ton.
Operate compressors, scrubbers, pipeline, pumps, coolers, and evaporators to liquefy or compress gas.
Maintain and repair all equipment involve in plant processes to keep within OSHA safety standards and EPA environmental codes.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Plant operator vs certified medical technician skills

Common plant operator skills

Plant Equipment, 7%
Plant Operations, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Boilers, 5%
Minor Maintenance, 4%
Ladders, 4%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Plant Operator vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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