Bender machine operator vs press brake operator

The differences between bender machine operators and press brake operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a bender machine operator and a press brake operator. Additionally, a press brake operator has an average salary of $36,359, which is higher than the $30,989 average annual salary of a bender machine operator.

The top three skills for a bender machine operator include calipers, hand tools and machine operation. The most important skills for a press brake operator are calipers, tape measure, and math.

Bender machine operator vs press brake operator overview

	Bender Machine Operator	Press Brake Operator
Yearly salary	$30,989	$36,359
Hourly rate	$14.90	$17.48
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	58,638	57,264
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

Bender machine operator vs press brake operator salary

Bender machine operators and press brake operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bender Machine Operator	Press Brake Operator
Average salary	$30,989	$36,359
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $36,000	Between $29,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	-	Rhode Island
Best paying company	-	Johnson Controls
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between bender machine operator and press brake operator education

There are a few differences between a bender machine operator and a press brake operator in terms of educational background:

	Bender Machine Operator	Press Brake Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 57%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Precision Metal Working	Business
Most common college	-	-

Bender machine operator vs press brake operator demographics

Here are the differences between bender machine operators' and press brake operators' demographics:

	Bender Machine Operator	Press Brake Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 71.9% Female, 28.1%	Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between bender machine operator and press brake operator duties and responsibilities

Bender machine operator example responsibilities.

Preheat workpieces, using heating furnaces or hand torches.
Follow standardized company general manufacturing procedures (GMP) throughout shift.
Use protractor to check for appropriate degree after bend.
Perform repair and preventive maintenance on machinery including cleaning, oiling and adjusting.

Press brake operator example responsibilities.

Set up machines and troubleshoot.
Set up and run a turret punch
Maintain and ensure proper use of PPE.
Promote from tool operator to dye shop.
Hold tight tolerances and always use your PPE.
Used math skills to produce parts to a specific dimension.

Bender machine operator vs press brake operator skills

Common bender machine operator skills

Calipers, 29%
Hand Tools, 21%
Machine Operation, 17%
Tape Measure, 13%
Quality Checks, 9%
RAN, 3%

Common press brake operator skills

Calipers, 12%
Tape Measure, 9%
Math, 8%
Hand Tools, 7%
Amada, 5%
Safety Procedures, 4%

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Bender Machine Operator
Bender Machine Operator vs Press Brake Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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