Rail operator vs operator

The differences between rail operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an operator has an average salary of $37,928, which is higher than the $37,389 average annual salary of a rail operator.

The top three skills for a rail operator include CDL, rail cars and DOT. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Rail operator vs operator overview

	Rail Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$37,389	$37,928
Hourly rate	$17.98	$18.23
Growth rate	4%	7%
Number of jobs	30,057	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	47	43
Years of experience	-	4

Rail operator vs operator salary

Rail operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Rail Operator	Operator
Average salary	$37,389	$37,928
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $54,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	North Dakota
Best paying company	-	Microsoft
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between rail operator and operator education

There are a few differences between a rail operator and an operator in terms of educational background:

	Rail Operator	Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Rail operator vs operator demographics

Here are the differences between rail operators' and operators' demographics:

	Rail Operator	Operator
Average age	47	43
Gender ratio	Male, 81.3% Female, 18.8%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 16.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	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	21%	4%

Differences between rail operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Rail operator example responsibilities.

Operate radio system in accordance with set radio protocols and FCC regulations.
Regulate trolley speed and inspect trolleys before leaving the yard.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Maintain proper communication with management and frac crews on/off-site.

Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

Rail operator vs operator skills

Common rail operator skills

CDL, 27%
Rail Cars, 22%
DOT, 20%
Safety Rules, 13%
Product Quality, 9%
Switches, 3%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%

Updated January 8, 2025

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