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The differences between tow truck operators and water truck drivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a tow truck operator and a water truck driver. Additionally, a water truck driver has an average salary of $50,440, which is higher than the $43,448 average annual salary of a tow truck operator.
The top three skills for a tow truck operator include transport vehicles, tow truck and DOT. The most important skills for a water truck driver are CDL, asphalt, and post-trip inspections.
| Tow Truck Operator | Water Truck Driver | |
| Yearly salary | $43,448 | $50,440 |
| Hourly rate | $20.89 | $24.25 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 72,416 | 860,835 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Tow Truck Operator works with a towing company and assists with removing damaged vehicles from accident scenes or broken down vehicles that have been abandoned at the request of the owner of the vehicle or the owner of the property. Typically, the tow truck operator's duties start first by receiving a call from a dispatcher and then driving to the accident or breakdown scene. He/She connects the vehicle to the tow truck and transports it to its final destination, a junkyard or a service station.
Water truck drivers are professional drivers who are required to drive trucks to transport water for construction projects, oil rigs, and crews working in remote sites. These drivers must demonstrate their ability by driving their trucks in unpredictable weather conditions and navigating in heavy traffics. They must conduct pre-trip and post-trip inspections while performing preventive maintenance on their trucks to ensure safety while driving. Water truck drivers must also check all load documents to ensure that they are accurate and received the required signatures for pickup and delivery.
Tow truck operators and water truck drivers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tow Truck Operator | Water Truck Driver | |
| Average salary | $43,448 | $50,440 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $62,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Longview, WA | San Diego, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | 7th Street Casino | MBI Energy Services |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a tow truck operator and a water truck driver in terms of educational background:
| Tow Truck Operator | Water Truck Driver | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between tow truck operators' and water truck drivers' demographics:
| Tow Truck Operator | Water Truck Driver | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 3.5% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 3.7% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |