Tamping machine operator vs roadway technician

The differences between tamping machine operators and roadway technicians 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 roadway technician. Additionally, a roadway technician has an average salary of $41,001, 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 roadway technician are autocad, asphalt, and DOT.

Tamping machine operator vs roadway technician overview

	Tamping Machine Operator	Roadway Technician
Yearly salary	$32,069	$41,001
Hourly rate	$15.42	$19.71
Growth rate	5%	5%
Number of jobs	53,712	11,270
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

Tamping machine operator vs roadway technician salary

Tamping machine operators and roadway technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tamping Machine Operator	Roadway Technician
Average salary	$32,069	$41,001
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $41,000	Between $21,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between tamping machine operator and roadway technician education

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

	Tamping Machine Operator	Roadway Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 56%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Engineering	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tamping machine operator vs roadway technician demographics

Here are the differences between tamping machine operators' and roadway technicians' demographics:

	Tamping Machine Operator	Roadway Technician
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 83.3% Female, 16.7%
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, 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 roadway technician 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.

Roadway technician example responsibilities.

Provide contractor oversight, including monitoring of technical performance of sub-contractors managing remedial cleanup projects involving hazardous waste.
Perform laboratory analysis of asphalt samples for quality control purposes.
Design and draft using AutoCAD and EaglePoint.
Perform general laborer duties on asphalt and concrete patching crew.
Coordinate daily scrum meeting with project team members helping to facilitate communication, maximize productivity and resolve issues early.
Provide contractor oversight, including monitoring of technical performance of sub-contractors managing remedial cleanup projects involving hazardous waste.

Tamping machine operator vs roadway technician skills

Common tamping machine operator skills

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

Common roadway technician skills

Autocad, 75%
Asphalt, 16%
DOT, 9%

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Tamping Machine Operator
Tamping Machine Operator vs Roadway Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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