Water pumper vs water plant operator

The differences between water pumpers and water plant 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 water pumper and a water plant operator. Additionally, a water pumper has an average salary of $56,410, which is higher than the $45,853 average annual salary of a water plant operator.

The top three skills for a water pumper include pump stations, and . The most important skills for a water plant operator are water treatment plant, plant equipment, and water samples.

Water pumper vs water plant operator overview

	Water Pumper	Water Plant Operator
Yearly salary	$56,410	$45,853
Hourly rate	$27.12	$22.04
Growth rate	-7%	-7%
Number of jobs	4,146	39,348
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	12	12

Water pumper vs water plant operator salary

Water pumpers and water plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Water Pumper	Water Plant Operator
Average salary	$56,410	$45,853
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $101,000	Between $32,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Stockton, CA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Santa Clara Valley Water District
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between water pumper and water plant operator education

There are a few differences between a water pumper and a water plant operator in terms of educational background:

	Water Pumper	Water Plant Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Water pumper vs water plant operator demographics

Here are the differences between water pumpers' and water plant operators' demographics:

	Water Pumper	Water Plant Operator
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6%	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 1.9% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between water pumper and water plant operator duties and responsibilities

Water pumper example responsibilities.

Manage water usage plumbing repair electronics repair inventory control.
Calculate dimensions and tolerances using knowledge of mathematics and instruments such as micrometers and vernier calipers.
Clean tanks and gravity filter beds including sedimentation clarifiers.
Measure acidity and alkalinity of clarifier overflow to determine efficiency of impurity recovery, using pH meter.

Water plant operator example responsibilities.

Maintain buildings HVAC / lighting automation systems and make adjustments as needed for tenant's comfort and to manage energy consumption.
Prepare asphalt mixtures per customer requirements, load and unload tankers and monitor tanks and assist with paperwork
Operate small rotating biological contractor plant that utilize activated sludge with sand filters and UV disinfection to process wastewater.

Water pumper vs water plant operator skills

Common water pumper skills

Pump Stations, 100%

Common water plant operator skills

Water Treatment Plant, 10%
Plant Equipment, 6%
Water Samples, 6%
Lab Tests, 6%
SCADA, 6%
Water Quality, 5%