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The differences between assembly line workers and factory workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a factory worker has an average salary of $29,343, which is higher than the $27,929 average annual salary of an assembly line worker.
The top three skills for an assembly line worker include assembly line production, safety procedures and production process. The most important skills for a factory worker are line assembly, production process, and safety regulations.
| Assembly Line Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $27,929 | $29,343 |
| Hourly rate | $13.43 | $14.11 |
| Growth rate | -5% | - |
| Number of jobs | 88,030 | 106,768 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 59% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Assembly line workers are factory or production floor employees who work on putting together company products. They are assigned to work on a specific part of the product. Once they are done, they should hand it over to the next person on the line. They ensure the quality of the product by doing their part consistently. They also manage the inventory of the features they handle. Assembly line workers should work conscientiously so that the assembly line will remain unbroken. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health practices to ensure that the production floor remains safe for all the workers.
A factory worker is responsible for manufacturing products using appropriate machinery and equipment. Factory workers' duties include processing the products based on the required quantity and specifications, labeling and safely packaging the merchandise, ensuring that the items are free of any defects before distribution, monitoring the supply inventories, reporting defected machines and equipment, and maintaining the cleanliness of the production area. A factory worker must have excellent time-management skills to produce high-quality products within a specific time frame.
Assembly line workers and factory workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assembly Line Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Average salary | $27,929 | $29,343 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellingham, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Magna International | UPS |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an assembly line worker and a factory worker in terms of educational background:
| Assembly Line Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 59% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between assembly line workers' and factory workers' demographics:
| Assembly Line Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.9% Female, 46.1% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 4.7% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 5.5% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |