Purification operator vs water plant operator

The differences between purification operators and water plant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a purification operator and a water plant operator. Additionally, a water plant operator has an average salary of $45,853, which is higher than the $35,631 average annual salary of a purification operator.

The top three skills for a purification operator include cell culture, GMP and clean room environment. The most important skills for a water plant operator are water treatment plant, plant equipment, and water samples.

Purification operator vs water plant operator overview

	Purification Operator	Water Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$35,631	$45,853
Hourly rate	$17.13	$22.04
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	28,516	39,348
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Purification operator vs water plant operator salary

Purification operators and water plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Purification Operator	Water Plant Operator
Average salary	$35,631	$45,853
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $47,000	Between $32,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Santa Clara Valley Water District
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between purification operator and water plant operator education

There are a few differences between a purification operator and a water plant operator in terms of educational background:

	Purification Operator	Water Plant Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	North Carolina State University	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Purification operator vs water plant operator demographics

Here are the differences between purification operators' and water plant operators' demographics:

	Purification Operator	Water Plant Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 85.7% Female, 14.3%	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between purification operator and water plant operator duties and responsibilities

Purification operator example responsibilities.

Revise procedures, set examples for other operators in GMP, housekeeping and production standards.
Perform downstream processing of monoclonal antibodies in the GMP classify USFDA approve production facility.
Maintain proper personal hygiene as required by cGMP s. Demonstrate punctuality and sense of responsibility through adherence to department attendance guidelines.
Maintain proper personal hygiene as required by cGMP s. Demonstrate punctuality and sense of responsibility through adherence to department attendance guidelines.

Water plant operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Operate small rotating biological contractor plant that utilize activated sludge with sand filters and UV disinfection to process wastewater.

Purification operator vs water plant operator skills

Common purification operator skills

Cell Culture, 71%
GMP, 21%
Clean Room Environment, 8%

Common water plant operator skills

Water Treatment Plant, 10%
Plant Equipment, 6%
Water Samples, 6%
Lab Tests, 6%
SCADA, 6%
Water Quality, 5%

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Purification Operator
Purification Operator vs Water Plant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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