Dry end operator vs line operator

The differences between dry end operators and line operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dry end operator has an average salary of $37,169, which is higher than the $34,520 average annual salary of a line operator.

The top three skills for a dry end operator include safety rules, calipers and pallets. The most important skills for a line operator are preventative maintenance, PPE, and basic math.

Dry end operator vs line operator overview

	Dry End Operator	Line Operator
Yearly salary	$37,169	$34,520
Hourly rate	$17.87	$16.60
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,786	137,127
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	43	44
Years of experience	4	-

Dry end operator vs line operator salary

Dry end operators and line operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dry End Operator	Line Operator
Average salary	$37,169	$34,520
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $45,000	Between $27,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	-	North Dakota
Best paying company	-	BD
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between dry end operator and line operator education

There are a few differences between a dry end operator and a line operator in terms of educational background:

	Dry End Operator	Line Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Dry end operator vs line operator demographics

Here are the differences between dry end operators' and line operators' demographics:

	Dry End Operator	Line Operator
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 78.5% Female, 21.5%	Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.7% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	4%	5%

Differences between dry end operator and line operator duties and responsibilities

Dry end operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Set up and operate an extrusion machine in accordance with establish procedures and guidelines and customer requirements.
Use CMM, optical comparator, calipers, height gages, etc to check plastic components.

Line operator example responsibilities.

Follow safety procedures, including but not limit to, wearing proper PPE, lock-out/tag-out, and HAZMAT.
Weld various models of Honda car seats.
Operate foam line for assembly of Toyota Tacoma car seats.
Work the assembly line building car door frames for Chrysler.
Work in high volume production setting, sewing seat covers for Toyota vehicles.
Wear all PPE while manually draining and cleaning of all dip tanks and stations after shift or when production quality lessen.

Dry end operator vs line operator skills

Common dry end operator skills

Safety Rules, 19%
Calipers, 15%
Pallets, 11%
Basic Math, 10%
Quality Checks, 5%
Product Quality, 4%

Common line operator skills

Preventative Maintenance, 12%
PPE, 9%
Basic Math, 9%
Extrusion, 8%
Quality Checks, 7%
Assembly Line, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Dry End Operator
Dry End Operator vs Line Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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