Utility plant operative vs waste treatment operator

The differences between utility plant operatives and waste treatment operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a utility plant operative and a waste treatment operator. Additionally, a waste treatment operator has an average salary of $47,317, which is higher than the $42,253 average annual salary of a utility plant operative.

The top three skills for a utility plant operative include plant equipment, auxiliary equipment and HVAC. The most important skills for a waste treatment operator are OSHA, water samples, and hazardous materials.

Utility plant operative vs waste treatment operator overview

	Utility Plant Operative	Waste Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$42,253	$47,317
Hourly rate	$20.31	$22.75
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	19,159	29,892
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 41%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Utility plant operative vs waste treatment operator salary

Utility plant operatives and waste treatment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Utility Plant Operative	Waste Treatment Operator
Average salary	$42,253	$47,317
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $59,000	Between $34,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Highland, CA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Yale University	-
Best paying industry	Energy	-

Differences between utility plant operative and waste treatment operator education

There are a few differences between a utility plant operative and a waste treatment operator in terms of educational background:

	Utility Plant Operative	Waste Treatment Operator
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 41%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Utility plant operative vs waste treatment operator demographics

Here are the differences between utility plant operatives' and waste treatment operators' demographics:

	Utility Plant Operative	Waste Treatment Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 95.5% Female, 4.5%	Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between utility plant operative and waste treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Utility plant operative example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Conduct work in an FDA regulate environment.
Enforce and comply with operational guidelines, OSHA and EPA regulations.
Maintain compliance with state regulators, cGMP, FDA and insurance company.
Last year of employment work include 20 hour each week doing plumbing work exclusively.
Perform some plumbing repairs, minor electrical work, some carpentry, plus general maintenance at plant and offices.

Waste treatment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Position require license issue by Illinois EPA.
Perform basic repairs and maintenance using plumbing and mechanical skills.
Perform repairs on all waste treatment and plating machinery, including electrical, mechanical, and plumbing relate breakdowns.
Work directly with production, engineering and maintenance personnel in the electroplating department.
Monitor, maintain and improve the operations of the industrial laboratory associate with the in house electroplating operation.

Utility plant operative vs waste treatment operator skills

Common utility plant operative skills

Plant Equipment, 9%
Auxiliary Equipment, 7%
HVAC, 7%
Plant Operations, 6%
Control Systems, 5%
Cooling Towers, 5%

Common waste treatment operator skills

OSHA, 9%
Water Samples, 8%
Hazardous Materials, 7%
Test Water, 6%
Plumbing, 6%
Safety Procedures, 5%

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Utility Plant Operative
Utility Plant Operative vs Waste Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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