Cut out operator vs laser operator

The differences between cut out operators and laser 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 cut out operator and a laser operator. Additionally, a cut out operator has an average salary of $40,930, which is higher than the $34,813 average annual salary of a laser operator.

The top three skills for a cut out operator include hand tools, math and quality checks. The most important skills for a laser operator are laser cutting, calipers, and laser machine.

Cut out operator vs laser operator overview

	Cut Out Operator	Laser Operator
Yearly salary	$40,930	$34,813
Hourly rate	$19.68	$16.74
Growth rate	-5%	-8%
Number of jobs	48,104	56,479
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	46	43
Years of experience	2	2

Cut out operator vs laser operator salary

Cut out operators and laser operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cut Out Operator	Laser Operator
Average salary	$40,930	$34,813
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $51,000	Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Denver, CO	Oregon City, OR
Highest paying state	Nevada	Oregon
Best paying company	Smiths Group	Kloeckner Metals
Best paying industry	Retail	Technology

Differences between cut out operator and laser operator education

There are a few differences between a cut out operator and a laser operator in terms of educational background:

	Cut Out Operator	Laser Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Cut out operator vs laser operator demographics

Here are the differences between cut out operators' and laser operators' demographics:

	Cut Out Operator	Laser Operator
Average age	46	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%	Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9%
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, 4.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	3%	6%

Differences between cut out operator and laser operator duties and responsibilities

Cut out operator example responsibilities.

Operate CNC wood working machines.
Serialize wax parts on a CNC engraver.
Document dimensions and procedure to guarantee ISO standards are meet.
Calculate requirements, usingbasic math.
Operate precision measuring instruments including micrometers, calipers and scales.
Operate a computer numerical control (CNC), fork lift, and overhead crane

Laser operator example responsibilities.

Calculate requirements, using basic math, geometry.
Follow and comply to GMP, FDA, and ISO regulations
Uphold all ISO and OSHA standards applicable to the responsibilities list above.
Complete SPC charts to track tool capability and hold tight tolerances on small parts.
Used micrometers and protractors to check dimension and angle of part during all job set ups and quality control checks.
Perform quality control inspection using calipers/gauges/micrometers and digital comparators.

Cut out operator vs laser operator skills

Common cut out operator skills

Hand Tools, 14%
Math, 13%
Quality Checks, 9%
Tape Measure, 8%
Calipers, 6%
Quality Standards, 6%

Common laser operator skills

Laser Cutting, 13%
Calipers, 8%
Laser Machine, 7%
Math, 6%
Hand Tools, 5%
CNC Laser, 4%