Refinery operator vs operator

The differences between refinery operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a refinery operator, becoming an operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a refinery operator has an average salary of $47,058, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.

The top three skills for a refinery operator include safety procedures, ladders and product quality. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Refinery operator vs operator overview

	Refinery Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$47,058	$37,928
Hourly rate	$22.62	$18.23
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	34,423	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 29%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	47	43
Years of experience	2	4

What does a refinery operator do?

Refinery operators oversee the entire production process of the plant operation. Responsibilities for this position are as diverse as the required knowledge fields, including identifying and correcting refinery process issues, operating equipment, monitoring meters and gauges, and meeting set area production goals. It necessitates many knowledge requirements, including, but not at all limited to product quality, control room operations, safety procedures, OSHA regulations, and process conditions.

What does an operator do?

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.

Refinery operator vs operator salary

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

	Refinery Operator	Operator
Average salary	$47,058	$37,928
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $73,000	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 refinery operator and operator education

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

	Refinery Operator	Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 29%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Refinery operator vs operator demographics

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

	Refinery Operator	Operator
Average age	47	43
Gender ratio	Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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	11%	4%

Differences between refinery operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Refinery operator example responsibilities.

Manage multiple large volume fermentation tanks simultaneously.
Work include LOTO procedures and gathering oil samples for the onsite lab.
Have knowledge of cryo plant production, amine, and NGL production.
Operate gas/oil fire heat exchangers.
Repair equipment with jsa, loto usuing procedures.
Conduct monthly safety surveys to ensure the unit maintain OSHA compliance.

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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.

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Refinery operator vs operator skills

Common refinery operator skills

Safety Procedures, 12%
Ladders, 7%
Product Quality, 7%
Control Room, 6%
Rail Cars, 6%
OSHA, 6%

Common operator skills

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

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Updated January 8, 2025

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