Tamping machine operator vs road grader

The differences between tamping machine operators and road graders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a tamping machine operator and a road grader. Additionally, a road grader has an average salary of $44,719, which is higher than the $32,069 average annual salary of a tamping machine operator.

The top three skills for a tamping machine operator include grade specifications, CDL and track structure. The most important skills for a road grader are loaders, mowing, and .

Tamping machine operator vs road grader overview

	Tamping Machine Operator	Road Grader
Yearly salary	$32,069	$44,719
Hourly rate	$15.42	$21.50
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	53,712	14,282
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

Tamping machine operator vs road grader salary

Tamping machine operators and road graders have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tamping Machine Operator	Road Grader
Average salary	$32,069	$44,719
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $41,000	Between $28,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between tamping machine operator and road grader education

There are a few differences between a tamping machine operator and a road grader in terms of educational background:

	Tamping Machine Operator	Road Grader
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Engineering	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tamping machine operator vs road grader demographics

Here are the differences between tamping machine operators' and road graders' demographics:

	Tamping Machine Operator	Road Grader
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 95.2% Female, 4.8%
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, 5.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 0.9% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.0%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between tamping machine operator and road grader duties and responsibilities

Tamping machine operator example responsibilities.

Record statistics on ISO documentation, and coordinate with machine technicians and electrical technicians to keep machines operating at maximum efficiency.
Crane operator, Bidwell paving machine operator and setup.

Road grader example responsibilities.

Provide feedback on errors, manage records on blackboard and proctore during exams.
Identify problems and determine corrective actions with plant management in reference to USDA regulations.
Operate dryers to dry wood, utility, and grade wood off the sort table into the proper cart.

Tamping machine operator vs road grader skills

Common tamping machine operator skills

Grade Specifications, 35%
CDL, 34%
Track Structure, 27%
Tampers, 4%

Common road grader skills

Loaders, 61%
Mowing, 39%

Tamping Machine Operator vs. similar jobs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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