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The differences between power plant operators and 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 $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.
The top three skills for a power plant operator include plant equipment, steam boilers and auxiliary equipment. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.
| Power Plant Operator | Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $49,204 | $37,928 |
| Hourly rate | $23.66 | $18.23 |
| Growth rate | -15% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 40,719 | 159,077 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A power plant operator is primarily in charge of controlling and maintaining machinery that generates and distributes electricity. Their responsibilities typically include monitoring charts and sensors, gathering and analyzing data, detecting errors and inconsistencies, maintaining daily logs and records of all progress, and performing adjustments as needed. They may also perform regular maintenance checks, executing corrective measures promptly. Furthermore, as a power plant operator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with fellow operators and power plant staff for an efficient and safe workflow.
Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.
Power plant operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Power Plant Operator | Operator | |
| Average salary | $49,204 | $37,928 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $67,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sanitation District | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a power plant operator and an operator in terms of educational background:
| Power Plant Operator | Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between power plant operators' and operators' demographics:
| Power Plant Operator | Operator | |
| Average age | 46 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.9% Female, 5.1% | Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0% |
| 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, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |