How To Become A Scale Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a scale operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

As the job title suggests, the chief duty of a scale operator is to operate scale equipment to measure the weight of various materials, usually heavy ones like large machines and vehicles. They are in charge of ensuring that each reading is accurate and that each material is loaded on and off the scale safely.

Furthermore, the work responsibilities of a scale operator also include maintaining accurate documentation of measurements, scheduling maintenance procedures for scale equipment, reviewing paperwork for materials to be measured, and calibrating equipment as needed. They also coordinate with logistics workers such as truck drivers and heavy equipment operators.

A high school diploma and a commercial driver's license are usually enough to qualify for this role, but of course, one needs to have proper training on how to operate scales. If you want to pursue this job, you can expect to receive basic training once you are hired by an employer.

In terms of compensation, the average salary of a scale operator lies between $26,000 to $31,000, depending on the employer and your level of experience.

ScoreScale OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.5

Avg. Salary $32,498

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.9

Growth Rate -3%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.87%

Asian 4.62%

Black or African American 11.67%

Hispanic or Latino 19.44%

Unknown 5.33%

White 58.08%

Gender

female 58.68%

male 41.32%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress Level

7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

4.8

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

3.8

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Newest jobs for Scale Operator in Columbus, OH

Receive alerts for the newest job postings.

Key steps to become a scale operator

Explore scale operator education requirements

Most common scale operator degrees

High School Diploma

43.8 %

Associate

21.4 %

Bachelor's

17.5 %

Start to develop specific scale operator skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	30.61%
Basic Math	8.21%
Math	7.20%
Scale Tickets	7.04%
Outbound Trucks	5.59%

Complete relevant scale operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New scale operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a scale operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real scale operator resumes.

Research scale operator duties and responsibilities

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Enter payroll accurately and run weekly reports timely.
Check loads (trucks) for size of product, correct PPE.
Detail orient with good math skills.

Prepare your scale operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your scale operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a scale operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Scale Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Scale Operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Scale Operator resume.

Apply for scale operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a scale operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do scale operators rate their job?

4/5

Based On 1 Ratings

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Scale Operator reviews

4.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019

Pros

To determine the net weight if materials brought, to ensure my employer doesn't run at risk

Cons

I don't like when it having network problem thereby taking so long to scale a truck