Wastewater treatment operator vs waste treatment operator

The differences between wastewater treatment operators 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 wastewater treatment operator and a waste treatment operator. Additionally, a waste treatment operator has an average salary of $47,317, which is higher than the $45,618 average annual salary of a wastewater treatment operator.

The top three skills for a wastewater treatment operator include plant equipment, process control and blowers. The most important skills for a waste treatment operator are OSHA, water samples, and hazardous materials.

Wastewater treatment operator vs waste treatment operator overview

	Wastewater Treatment Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Yearly salary	$45,618	$47,317
Hourly rate	$21.93	$22.75
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	32,561	29,892
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Wastewater treatment operator vs waste treatment operator salary

Wastewater treatment operators and waste treatment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wastewater Treatment Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Average salary	$45,618	$47,317
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $64,000	Between $34,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Mercer Island, WA	-
Highest paying state	Idaho	-
Best paying company	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between wastewater treatment operator and waste treatment operator education

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

	Wastewater Treatment Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians	Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Wastewater treatment operator vs waste treatment operator demographics

Here are the differences between wastewater treatment operators' and waste treatment operators' demographics:

	Wastewater Treatment Operator	Waste Treatment Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0%	Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%	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 wastewater treatment operator and waste treatment operator duties and responsibilities

Wastewater treatment operator example responsibilities.

Manage and perform preventive maintenance, electrical repairs, millwright work, and MSHA safety functions.
Monitor plant and lift station performance by regularly checking SCADA system on computer.
Inspect facilities, equipment and plumbing for effects for corrosive, flammable and combustible gas.
Optimize internal controls and process to comply with new parameters set by EPA and JCA.
Review and remain current on OSHA standards and regulations for general industry and perform safety audits.
Utilize computers for SCADA monitoring, data input, work order tracking and other uses of technology.

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.

Wastewater treatment operator vs waste treatment operator skills

Common wastewater treatment operator skills

Plant Equipment, 5%
Process Control, 5%
Blowers, 5%
Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Ladders, 4%
Plant Operations, 4%

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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Wastewater Treatment Operator
Wastewater Treatment Operator vs Waste Treatment Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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