Sanitary landfill operator vs heavy machinery operator

The differences between sanitary landfill operators and heavy machinery 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 sanitary landfill operator and a heavy machinery operator. Additionally, a sanitary landfill operator has an average salary of $42,639, which is higher than the $31,351 average annual salary of a heavy machinery operator.

The top three skills for a sanitary landfill operator include equipment operation, CDL and landfill operations. The most important skills for a heavy machinery operator are dump truck, backhoe, and load trucks.

Sanitary landfill operator vs heavy machinery operator overview

	Sanitary Landfill Operator	Heavy Machinery Operator
Yearly salary	$42,639	$31,351
Hourly rate	$20.50	$15.07
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	29,480	37,580
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	4

Sanitary landfill operator vs heavy machinery operator salary

Sanitary landfill operators and heavy machinery operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Sanitary Landfill Operator	Heavy Machinery Operator
Average salary	$42,639	$31,351
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $55,000	Between $24,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Reedley, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Dairy Farmers of America
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between sanitary landfill operator and heavy machinery operator education

There are a few differences between a sanitary landfill operator and a heavy machinery operator in terms of educational background:

	Sanitary Landfill Operator	Heavy Machinery Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 31%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Civil Engineering	Business
Most common college	-	-

Sanitary landfill operator vs heavy machinery operator demographics

Here are the differences between sanitary landfill operators' and heavy machinery operators' demographics:

	Sanitary Landfill Operator	Heavy Machinery Operator
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8%	Male, 91.4% Female, 8.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 0.9% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 0.9% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between sanitary landfill operator and heavy machinery operator duties and responsibilities

Sanitary landfill operator example responsibilities.

Run heavy equipment including compactor and ATD.
Follow all power equipment rules and regulation including any regulatory agency policies to include OSHA.
Operate knuckle boom as necessary.
Perform preventive maintenance checks and services on designate equipment.
Operate heavy equipment and supply mechanical assistance when need.
Execute daily operations of finish grading and various equipment operation.

Heavy machinery operator example responsibilities.

Used heavy machinery such as a bobcat, backhoe and forklift to move asphalt or material.
Operate CNC lathe along with several other pieces of machinery equipment.
Operate backhoe to excavate excess water/mud to build barriers to prevent a spill over onto roads and residential area.
Start engines, move throttle switch and levers, such as bulldozers, road graders and backhoes and relate machines.
Operate light machinery including bulldozers and maintainers
Reviewed/Approve area assessment reports and corrective action plans assuring compliance with applicable OSHA and EPA regulatory guidance.

Sanitary landfill operator vs heavy machinery operator skills

Common sanitary landfill operator skills

Equipment Operation, 25%
CDL, 24%
Landfill Operations, 17%
Loaders, 14%
Water Truck, 11%
Waste Materials, 6%

Common heavy machinery operator skills

Dump Truck, 15%
Backhoe, 10%
Load Trucks, 7%
Front End Loader, 7%
CDL, 6%
Bobcat, 6%

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Sanitary Landfill Operator vs Heavy Machinery Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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