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Road equipment operator vs heavy equipment operator

The differences between road equipment operators and heavy equipment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a road equipment operator and a heavy equipment operator. Additionally, a road equipment operator has an average salary of $45,053, which is higher than the $39,822 average annual salary of a heavy equipment operator.

The top three skills for a road equipment operator include asphalt, CDL and loaders. The most important skills for a heavy equipment operator are loaders, backhoe, and CDL.

Road equipment operator vs heavy equipment operator overview

Road Equipment OperatorHeavy Equipment Operator
Yearly salary$45,053$39,822
Hourly rate$21.66$19.15
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs54,82347,261
Job satisfaction-4.6
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 35%High School Diploma, 54%
Average age4545
Years of experience44

Road equipment operator vs heavy equipment operator salary

Road equipment operators and heavy equipment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Road Equipment OperatorHeavy Equipment Operator
Average salary$45,053$39,822
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $57,000Between $27,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City-Trenton, NJ
Highest paying state-New Jersey
Best paying company-Moody's
Best paying industry-Energy

Differences between road equipment operator and heavy equipment operator education

There are a few differences between a road equipment operator and a heavy equipment operator in terms of educational background:

Road Equipment OperatorHeavy Equipment Operator
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 35%High School Diploma, 54%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringBusiness
Most common college--

Road equipment operator vs heavy equipment operator demographics

Here are the differences between road equipment operators' and heavy equipment operators' demographics:

Road Equipment OperatorHeavy Equipment Operator
Average age4545
Gender ratioMale, 92.7% Female, 7.3%Male, 94.8% Female, 5.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 0.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 0.9% White, 67.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between road equipment operator and heavy equipment operator duties and responsibilities

Road equipment operator example responsibilities.

  • Operate cranes in various indoor and outdoor locations where maneuverability is restricted and accuracy is critical.
  • Operate cranes in various indoor and outdoor locations where maneuverability is restricted and accuracy is critical.

Heavy equipment operator example responsibilities.

  • Manage and cross-train subordinates in several job-relate tasks while promoting leadership.
  • Operate trucks and equipment such as backhoe, dump trucks, front-end loader, hydraulic excavator, skid steers and bulldozers.
  • Operate heavy equipment including, but limit to, backhoe, excavators, bobcats, forklifts, trucks and wheel loaders.
  • Operate equipment used for construction purposes such as tankers, cranes, bulldozers, loaders, compost mixers and excavators.
  • Put down mulch cut grass, plant and dig up.
  • Work with asphalt, cut down trees, and dig trenches.
  • Show more

Road equipment operator vs heavy equipment operator skills

Common road equipment operator skills
  • Asphalt, 27%
  • CDL, 25%
  • Loaders, 18%
  • Construction Sites, 7%
  • Road Construction, 7%
  • Construction Equipment, 7%
Common heavy equipment operator skills
  • Loaders, 9%
  • Backhoe, 6%
  • CDL, 6%
  • Asphalt, 5%
  • Safety Regulations, 5%
  • Dump Truck, 5%

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