Material Movers, Hand vs Water Treatment Operators
Median pay is about $20k higher for Water Treatment Operators. The usual entry education is no formal credential for Material Movers, Hand and high school for Water Treatment Operators.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Material Movers, Hand | Water Treatment Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $40,240 | $60,020, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $36,090 | $48,040, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $46,920 | $74,780, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +1.8% Growing, higher | -5.7% Declining |
| Openings a year | 340,500 | 10,000 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | No formal credential | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.6 / 5 | 2.2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 1st pct | 49th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Material Movers, Hand
- Writing
Only Water Treatment Operators
- Mathematics
Both lean on active listening, monitoring, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.