Substation operator vs assistant operator

The differences between substation operators and assistant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a substation operator and an assistant operator. Additionally, a substation operator has an average salary of $47,649, which is higher than the $37,607 average annual salary of an assistant operator.

The top three skills for a substation operator include CDL, electrical equipment and substation equipment. The most important skills for an assistant operator are customer service, ladders, and safety procedures.

Substation operator vs assistant operator overview

	Substation Operator	Assistant Operator
Yearly salary	$47,649	$37,607
Hourly rate	$22.91	$18.08
Growth rate	-15%	-8%
Number of jobs	26,322	88,093
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	46	50
Years of experience	2	2

Substation operator vs assistant operator salary

Substation operators and assistant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Substation Operator	Assistant Operator
Average salary	$47,649	$37,607
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $69,000	Between $28,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Massachusetts General Hospital
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between substation operator and assistant operator education

There are a few differences between a substation operator and an assistant operator in terms of educational background:

	Substation Operator	Assistant Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Business
Most common college	-	Western Carolina University

Substation operator vs assistant operator demographics

Here are the differences between substation operators' and assistant operators' demographics:

	Substation Operator	Assistant Operator
Average age	46	50
Gender ratio	Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2%	Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	5%	6%

Differences between substation operator and assistant operator duties and responsibilities

Substation operator example responsibilities.

Perform maintenance on substation power transformers, regulators, circuit switches, capacitor banks and relay enclosures.
Dutiesinclude starting and stopping pumping and generating units using manualcontrol boards or SCADA control system.
Charge with the inspection and maintenance of substation circuit breakers, transformers and all associate sub-station equipment.
Implement tool control and OSHA safety regulations while working independently on various machinery.
Speed test breakers and analyze Doble data.

Assistant operator example responsibilities.

Manage proper removal and allocation for full yarn spindles.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Maintain current MSHA training requirements.
Coordinate special movement of ISO tanks.
Certify in MSHA hard-rock mine safety.
Maintain spinning/winding machines by putting idle spindles and cones back into production.

Substation operator vs assistant operator skills

Common substation operator skills

CDL, 59%
Electrical Equipment, 16%
Substation Equipment, 7%
Station Equipment, 6%
Safety Procedures, 4%
SCADA, 3%

Common assistant operator skills

Customer Service, 28%
Ladders, 11%
Safety Procedures, 9%
Safety Committee, 6%
Quality Checks, 6%
PPE, 5%

Substation Operator vs. similar jobs

Substation Operator related careers

Substation Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Substation Operator
Substation Operator vs Assistant Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs