Small equipment operator vs machine operator

The differences between small equipment operators and machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a small equipment operator has an average salary of $36,820, which is higher than the $32,874 average annual salary of a machine operator.

The top three skills for a small equipment operator include routine maintenance, customer specifications and asphalt. The most important skills for a machine operator are basic math, CNC, and math.

Small equipment operator vs machine operator overview

	Small Equipment Operator	Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$36,820	$32,874
Hourly rate	$17.70	$15.80
Growth rate	5%	-6%
Number of jobs	45,412	96,834
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	2	-

Small equipment operator vs machine operator salary

Small equipment operators and machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Small Equipment Operator	Machine Operator
Average salary	$36,820	$32,874
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $48,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	-	Minnesota
Best paying company	-	BD
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between small equipment operator and machine operator education

There are a few differences between a small equipment operator and a machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Small Equipment Operator	Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Small equipment operator vs machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between small equipment operators' and machine operators' demographics:

	Small Equipment Operator	Machine Operator
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 86.7% Female, 13.3%	Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 0.9% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	2%	5%

Differences between small equipment operator and machine operator duties and responsibilities

Small equipment operator example responsibilities.

Certify in the use of forklifts, clamp trucks and skidster
Field work include all preparation for planting through harvest on particular operation including liquid manure spreading.
Manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients using GMP format and aseptic techniques.

Machine operator example responsibilities.

Conduct preventative maintenance checks on industrial brake manufacturing machines and forklifts.
Follow company and safety procedures using industrial chemicals and PPE to efficiently clean and sanitize all equipment.
Operate forklift and bobcat as needed.
Run a line in a PVC pipe production plant.
Operate machinery including forklift, bobcat and various power tools.
Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill.

Small equipment operator vs machine operator skills

Common small equipment operator skills

Routine Maintenance, 46%
Customer Specifications, 17%
Asphalt, 9%
Boats, 8%
General Maintenance, 4%
Mowing, 3%

Common machine operator skills

Basic Math, 11%
CNC, 9%
Math, 9%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Machine Operation, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%

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Small Equipment Operator vs Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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