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The differences between spotters and flaggers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a spotter has an average salary of $42,482, which is higher than the $29,484 average annual salary of a flagger.
The top three skills for a spotter include CDL, safety rules and safety standards. The most important skills for a flagger are work ethic, safety rules, and construction sites.
| Spotter | Flagger | |
| Yearly salary | $42,482 | $29,484 |
| Hourly rate | $20.42 | $14.18 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 935 | 6,597 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 55% |
| Average age | 50 | 53 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A spotter ensures a job is done in the safest possible manner to avoid injury. They monitor work in dangerous environments, such as near power lines. Other kinds of spotters include excavation spotters and backing spotters. They are responsible for ensuring that all safety procedures are upheld and that work is stopped immediately if hazards arise. Thus, they must maintain visual and verbal contact with workers at all times.
A flagger is an employee who is hired by government agencies or construction companies to control the flow of traffic around road construction sites. To control the flow of traffic, flaggers must erect warning signs and position traffic cones and barricades to guide drivers through the traffic flow. They are responsible for informing the construction crew of any issues that may affect their safety. Flaggers are also required to record the license plate numbers of motorists who did not obey traffic signs and directions.
Spotters and flaggers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Spotter | Flagger | |
| Average salary | $42,482 | $29,484 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $62,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Buffalo, NY |
| Highest paying state | North Dakota | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | - | Walsh Electric |
| Best paying industry | - | Construction |
There are a few differences between a spotter and a flagger in terms of educational background:
| Spotter | Flagger | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between spotters' and flaggers' demographics:
| Spotter | Flagger | |
| Average age | 50 | 53 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.0% Female, 18.0% | Male, 64.0% Female, 36.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 7.0% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 2.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |