Cheese maker vs churn operator

The differences between cheese makers and churn operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-3 months to become both a cheese maker and a churn operator. Additionally, a churn operator has an average salary of $38,420, which is higher than the $31,980 average annual salary of a cheese maker.

The top three skills for a cheese maker include vats, USDA and PPE. The most important skills for a churn operator are CIP, pallets, and .

Cheese maker vs churn operator overview

	Cheese Maker	Churn Operator
Yearly salary	$31,980	$38,420
Hourly rate	$15.38	$18.47
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	6,985	30,460
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	3	3

Cheese maker vs churn operator salary

Cheese makers and churn operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cheese Maker	Churn Operator
Average salary	$31,980	$38,420
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $45,000	Between $26,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between cheese maker and churn operator education

There are a few differences between a cheese maker and a churn operator in terms of educational background:

	Cheese Maker	Churn Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 35%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Business	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Cheese maker vs churn operator demographics

Here are the differences between cheese makers' and churn operators' demographics:

	Cheese Maker	Churn Operator
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5%	Male, 97.1% Female, 2.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 6.1% White, 69.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 5.4% White, 58.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between cheese maker and churn operator duties and responsibilities

Cheese maker example responsibilities.

Complete Htst and cheese making courses yearly.
Preform inline sample to insure GMP are met.
Cut and cook curd to proper temperature to make finish product.
Fill processing containers or vats with ingredients, by opening valves, or starting pumps.
Facilitate, oversee, and complete all FDA, Maryland and third party regulatory equipment certification and facility inspections.
Demonstrate how to mold, pack, cut, pile, mill, dump and press curd into specified shapes.

Churn operator example responsibilities.

Inspect food and manage quality control by adding preservatives and ingredients require by USDA regulations.
Manage distillation process to determine product specification compliance, and prepare unit for shutdown or turnaround process.
Perform proper procedures to clean and sanitize equipment according to safety guidelines and USDA guidelines.
Ensure all GMP and HAACP standard are met.
Test in-process and finish product to ensure company and FDA specification are met.
Move to the assembly department building electrical panels, installing electrical panels, installing various electrical devices on new centrifuges.

Cheese maker vs churn operator skills

Common cheese maker skills

Vats, 16%
USDA, 13%
PPE, 11%
HACCP, 9%
GMP, 8%
Curd, 7%

Common churn operator skills

CIP, 73%
Pallets, 27%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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