Unit operator vs operator

The differences between unit operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a unit operator, becoming an operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a unit operator has an average salary of $41,192, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.

The top three skills for a unit operator include asphalt, plant equipment and safety procedures. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Unit operator vs operator overview

	Unit Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$41,192	$37,928
Hourly rate	$19.80	$18.23
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	47,545	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	40	43
Years of experience	2	4

Unit operator vs operator salary

Unit operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Operator	Operator
Average salary	$41,192	$37,928
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $62,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Plymouth, MN	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	Minnesota	North Dakota
Best paying company	Applied Materials	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Energy	Technology

Differences between unit operator and operator education

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

	Unit Operator	Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Unit operator vs operator demographics

Here are the differences between unit operators' and operators' demographics:

	Unit Operator	Operator
Average age	40	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.5% Female, 14.5%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 1.2% White, 63.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%	Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	2%	4%

Differences between unit operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Unit operator example responsibilities.

Manage and maintain GPS and other equipment.
Drill frac plugs in time efficient manner.
Coordinate, and execute safety programs, JSA's, and reports.
Make Maximo request to get desire jobs put on schedule for repairs.
Perform LOTO procedures for equipment in preparation for maintenance or safety concerns.
Perform day to day operational oversight and maintenance over numerous distillation and utility units in a cresylic acid manufacturing facility.

Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

Unit operator vs operator skills

Common unit operator skills

Asphalt, 27%
Plant Equipment, 21%
Safety Procedures, 11%
Control Room, 7%
Unit Operations, 6%
Rig, 4%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%