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Swamper vs dock worker

The differences between swampers and dock workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dock worker has an average salary of $36,027, which is higher than the $34,411 average annual salary of a swamper.

The top three skills for a swamper include safety equipment, CDL and frac tanks. The most important skills for a dock worker are safety rules, tractor trailer, and LTL.

Swamper vs dock worker overview

SwamperDock Worker
Yearly salary$34,411$36,027
Hourly rate$16.54$17.32
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs47,952119,104
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 65%High School Diploma, 54%
Average age4040
Years of experience--

What does a swamper do?

A Swamper serves as a helper or an assistant to a more skilled laborer. Swampers help operators and their crew members in the oil and gas industry in performing manual labor-associated tasks. Their duties and responsibilities depend on their field or industry in which they work. They help set-up and pull-down equipment and conduct inspections before and after the trip. It is their job to maintain a safe and orderly job site.

What does a dock worker do?

People working in the docks are collectively called dock workers. Their primary job is to load and unload ships. They are also named material movers and hand laborers who manually move stocks, freight, or other materials. While formal educational attainment is not a prerequisite to becoming a dock worker, several skills are required. Dockworkers should have the best physical strength, endurance, and agility. Having good hearing and eyesight is also essential in their job.

Swamper vs dock worker salary

Swampers and dock workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

SwamperDock Worker
Average salary$34,411$36,027
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $43,000Between $29,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City-Coon Rapids, MN
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Dairy Farmers of America
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between swamper and dock worker education

There are a few differences between a swamper and a dock worker in terms of educational background:

SwamperDock Worker
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 65%High School Diploma, 54%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Swamper vs dock worker demographics

Here are the differences between swampers' and dock workers' demographics:

SwamperDock Worker
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 93.4% Female, 6.6%Male, 92.9% Female, 7.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 29.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 47.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between swamper and dock worker duties and responsibilities

Swamper example responsibilities.

  • Manage mulching, fertilizing, watering and mowing activities.
  • Put correct PPE on and mark the soil to start dig.
  • Used hand tools such as shovels, rakes, pruning saws, hedge and brush trimmers and axes.
  • Weld new cutting edges on front end loaders, new shanks and teeth on buckets.
  • Allocate and attach pulleys, cables, braces, booms, chains and hooks to lifting machinery.
  • Operate backhoes, loaders, forklift.
  • Show more

Dock worker example responsibilities.

  • Operate yard truck to manage dock needs, maintain safety and cleanliness of dock as well as yard.
  • Work with AS400 WMS to coordinate the movement of freight in and out of the terminal.
  • Use of the AS400 to process outbound shipments, including but not limit to data entry, and BOL imaging.
  • Print BOL for daily deliveries.
  • Use RF scanning system to select orders.
  • Process and palletize all damage, penny, and RTV merchandise.
  • Show more

Swamper vs dock worker skills

Common swamper skills
  • Safety Equipment, 15%
  • CDL, 12%
  • Frac Tanks, 10%
  • Manual Labor, 10%
  • Load Trucks, 9%
  • Hoisting, 3%
Common dock worker skills
  • Safety Rules, 12%
  • Tractor Trailer, 8%
  • LTL, 8%
  • Unload Trailers, 6%
  • Basic Math, 5%
  • Dock Equipment, 5%

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