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The differences between wastewater treatment plant attendants and water 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 plant attendant and a water treatment operator. Additionally, a water treatment operator has an average salary of $48,112, which is higher than the $46,529 average annual salary of a wastewater treatment plant attendant.
The top three skills for a wastewater treatment plant attendant include water treatment plant, and . The most important skills for a water treatment operator are water treatment plant, SCADA, and water samples.
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant | Water Treatment Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $46,529 | $48,112 |
| Hourly rate | $22.37 | $23.13 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 55,164 | 32,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Wastewater treatment plant attendants and water treatment operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant | Water Treatment Operator | |
| Average salary | $46,529 | $48,112 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $64,000 | Between $35,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Jacobs Engineering Group |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a wastewater treatment plant attendant and a water treatment operator in terms of educational background:
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant | Water Treatment Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Environmental Control Technologies/Technicians |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | Duke University |
Here are the differences between wastewater treatment plant attendants' and water treatment operators' demographics:
| Wastewater Treatment Plant Attendant | Water Treatment Operator | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.1% Female, 6.9% | Male, 91.0% Female, 9.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 1.8% White, 70.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |