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The differences between assembly workers and factory workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assembly worker has an average salary of $30,331, which is higher than the $29,343 average annual salary of a factory worker.
The top three skills for an assembly worker include assembly line, safety procedures and quality standards. The most important skills for a factory worker are line assembly, production process, and safety regulations.
| Assembly Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $30,331 | $29,343 |
| Hourly rate | $14.58 | $14.11 |
| Growth rate | -5% | - |
| Number of jobs | 85,178 | 106,768 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An assembly worker is an employee who is assigned to an assembly line in a manufacturing firm to fabricate parts and join them to construct a final product. Assembly workers follow instructions and diagrams to complete a particular task. They may use a combination of tools such as a punching machine, hammers, or welding equipment. An assembly line supervisor is directly in-charge of these assembly workers and will continuously monitor their work. Assembly workers can also work in different manufacturing firms that produce aircraft, automobiles, and electronics.
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 workers and factory workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assembly Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Average salary | $30,331 | $29,343 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $37,000 | Between $22,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | Spokane, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Anomatic | UPS |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an assembly worker and a factory worker in terms of educational background:
| Assembly Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between assembly workers' and factory workers' demographics:
| Assembly Worker | Factory Worker | |
| Average age | 44 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.7% Female, 46.3% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 8.4% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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 | 5% | 9% |