Power plant operator vs mixing plant operator

The differences between power plant operators and mixing plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a power plant operator has an average salary of $49,204, which is higher than the $45,979 average annual salary of a mixing plant operator.

The top three skills for a power plant operator include plant equipment, steam boilers and auxiliary equipment. The most important skills for a mixing plant operator are CDL, asphalt, and plant equipment.

Power plant operator vs mixing plant operator overview

	Power Plant Operator	Mixing Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$49,204	$45,979
Hourly rate	$23.66	$22.11
Growth rate	-15%	-7%
Number of jobs	40,719	34,951
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 34%
Average age	46	44
Years of experience	-	-

Power plant operator vs mixing plant operator salary

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

	Power Plant Operator	Mixing Plant Operator
Average salary	$49,204	$45,979
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $67,000	Between $33,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Minneapolis, MN	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Orange County Sanitation District	-
Best paying industry	Utilities	-

Differences between power plant operator and mixing plant operator education

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

	Power Plant Operator	Mixing Plant Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	High School Diploma, 34%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Precision Metal Working
Most common college	-	-

Power plant operator vs mixing plant operator demographics

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

	Power Plant Operator	Mixing Plant Operator
Average age	46	44
Gender ratio	Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1%	Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 1.5% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%	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%
LGBT Percentage	5%	7%

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

Power plant operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Process operator in the powerhouse.
Develop and assist regional groups with desk operating procedures for NERC compliance standards.
Control and maintain auxiliary equipment, such as pumps, fans, compressors and condensers.
Perform various aspects of preventive maintenance and troubleshooting on HVAC systems; 300 to 1500 tons.
Repair and perform complete rebuilds on various valves, actuators, pumps, compressors, large fans, gearboxes etc.

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.

Power plant operator vs mixing plant operator skills

Common power plant operator skills

Plant Equipment, 9%
Steam Boilers, 8%
Auxiliary Equipment, 7%
Plant Operations, 5%
Cooling Towers, 5%
Condensers, 5%

Common mixing plant operator skills

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

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Power Plant Operator
Power Plant Operator vs Mixing Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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