Sensor operator vs ground surveillance systems operator

The differences between sensor operators and ground surveillance systems operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a ground surveillance systems operator has an average salary of $51,598, which is higher than the $51,597 average annual salary of a sensor operator.

The top three skills for a sensor operator include ISR, flight operations and mission planning. The most important skills for a ground surveillance systems operator are secret security clearance, UAS, and ISR.

Sensor operator vs ground surveillance systems operator overview

	Sensor Operator	Ground Surveillance Systems Operator
Yearly salary	$51,597	$51,598
Hourly rate	$24.81	$24.81
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	25,641	84,929
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Associate Degree, 33%
Average age	24	24
Years of experience	-	-

Sensor operator vs ground surveillance systems operator salary

Sensor operators and ground surveillance systems operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Sensor Operator	Ground Surveillance Systems Operator
Average salary	$51,597	$51,598
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $108,000	Between $24,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between sensor operator and ground surveillance systems operator education

There are a few differences between a sensor operator and a ground surveillance systems operator in terms of educational background:

	Sensor Operator	Ground Surveillance Systems Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Associate Degree, 33%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Sensor operator vs ground surveillance systems operator demographics

Here are the differences between sensor operators' and ground surveillance systems operators' demographics:

	Sensor Operator	Ground Surveillance Systems Operator
Average age	24	24
Gender ratio	Male, 88.7% Female, 11.3%	Male, 99.0% Female, 1.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 7.6% White, 50.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 25.9% Asian, 6.0% White, 46.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between sensor operator and ground surveillance systems operator duties and responsibilities

Sensor operator example responsibilities.

Lead basic reconnaissance operations and report enemy movements to commanding officers.
Supervise and perform inter-service liaison activities to ensure effective integration of combat air resources on the battlefield.
Track, order, and inventory radio navigation equipment for DOD supply system.
Log 4656 RPA flight hours , 498 combat sorties in three areas of responsibility.
Work directly with senior executive leadership during combat to provide expertise on air power.
Work primarily on the CNC milling center machine, also do secondary operations when need.

Ground surveillance systems operator example responsibilities.

Lead basic reconnaissance operations and report enemy movements to commanding officers.
Navigate different types of terrain using maps, compasses, and GPS systems for mission accomplishment.
Provide UAV pilots with navigation information for image collection of specific targets, and determine optimal sensor selection.
Implement notification procedures of key personnel during emergencies, natural disaster, and combat situations.

Sensor operator vs ground surveillance systems operator skills

Common sensor operator skills

ISR, 10%
Flight Operations, 9%
Mission Planning, 8%
Reconnaissance, 7%
DOD, 6%
Syllabus, 6%

Common ground surveillance systems operator skills

Secret Security Clearance, 47%
UAS, 21%
ISR, 20%
Aerial Photographs, 12%

Sensor Operator vs. similar jobs

Sensor Operator related careers

Sensor Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Military Industry
Sensor Operator
Sensor Operator vs Ground Surveillance Systems Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse military jobs