Power operator vs senior power plant operator

The differences between power operators and senior power plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior power plant operator has an average salary of $45,990, which is higher than the $38,263 average annual salary of a power operator.

The top three skills for a power operator include pallets, control room and electrical systems. The most important skills for a senior power plant operator are plant equipment, routine maintenance, and mechanical equipment.

Power operator vs senior power plant operator overview

	Power Operator	Senior Power Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$38,263	$45,990
Hourly rate	$18.40	$22.11
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	39,171	36,207
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	-	-

Power operator vs senior power plant operator salary

Power operators and senior power plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Power Operator	Senior Power Plant Operator
Average salary	$38,263	$45,990
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $50,000	Between $33,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between power operator and senior power plant operator education

There are a few differences between a power operator and a senior power plant operator in terms of educational background:

	Power Operator	Senior Power Plant Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Business	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Power operator vs senior power plant operator demographics

Here are the differences between power operators' and senior power plant operators' demographics:

	Power Operator	Senior Power Plant Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 86.4% Female, 13.6%	Male, 97.6% Female, 2.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 1.5% White, 77.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 1.3% White, 79.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between power operator and senior power plant operator duties and responsibilities

Power operator example responsibilities.

Manage an internal environmental information system and ensure compliance with EPA and RCRA regulations.
Operate heavy equipment, loaders, lifts, hand and power tools to complete skil tasks.
Adjust controls of water and cold feed systems, blowers and igniters to start up and shut down boilers.
Help electrical maintenance department troubleshoot motors and other electrical devices.
Identify parameters indicative of an emergency condition and initiate designated actions, execute terminal shutdown and start-up procedures upon approval.
Conduct rig movements during drilling operations.

Senior power plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Verify and insure satisfactory operation of process exhaust scrubbers.

Power operator vs senior power plant operator skills

Common power operator skills

Pallets, 28%
Control Room, 19%
Electrical Systems, 9%
Water Treatment, 8%
Cooling Towers, 5%
HVAC, 4%

Common senior power plant operator skills

Plant Equipment, 33%
Routine Maintenance, 19%
Mechanical Equipment, 13%
Plant Operations, 12%
Water Treatment, 10%
Chemical Treatment, 10%

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Power Operator vs Senior Power Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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