What is a Dryer Operator?
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a dryer operator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.37 an hour? That's $36,131 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 2% and produce 5,300 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Dryer Operator Do
There are certain skills that many dryer operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed physical strength, detail oriented and math skills.
How To Become a Dryer Operator
If you're interested in becoming a dryer operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 11.7% of dryer operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 0.5% of dryer operators have master's degrees. Even though some dryer operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Dryer Operator Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of forklift operator you might progress to a role such as technician eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title operations manager.
Average Salary for a Dryer Operator
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Dryer Operator
There are several types of dryer operator, including:
Machine Operator
Role:
Someone has to operate the machine - why not you? Machine operators are able to transfer a variety of objects through the use of machinery. So if driving a forklift around sounds like your idea of fun, then maybe this is the job for you.
Some machine operators need training in order to operate certain machinery such as cranes and excavators. The hours you work as a machine operator can vary, but often include overtime, night shifts, and weekend shifts.
As a machine operator, you have lots of industries you could go into, from warehousing and storage to food manufacturing and construction. The list goes on and on. Depending on the industry, your work can take you outside or you may get to work inside.
- Average Salary: $32,874
- Degree: High School Diploma
Forklift Operator
Role:
As a forklift operator, the majority of your time will be spent riding around on a forklift. You'll use it to move objects around so, unfortunately, there will be no time for any funny business. In fact, you'll probably need to follow some safety rules to ensure no one gets hurt.
There really aren't any formal education requirements, but you will probably need to be trained on how to operate the machine. Since products and materials are shipped at all times, you may need to stay late or even work an overnight shift from time to time.
And you better believe you'll get some overtime hours from being a forklift operator, which will be a nice little surprise when it's payday. Plus, did we mention you get to drive a forklift around. Sure, you have to be careful moving objects and trying to avoid running over your co-workers but, hey, at least you get to drive a forklift.
- Average Salary: $34,213
- Degree: High School Diploma
Operator
Role:
As an operator, it's your job to know how specific equipment or machines work. You should know how to install and repair certain machinery as well as knowing how to use tools to help with the manufacturing process.
Operators often spend their time checking in on equipment and making sure it's properly working. Every problem that is detected, you'll often call upon an operators to come and save the day. They're essentially the superhero in an office setting.
In most cases, operators work full-time, normal hours. But when a client needs help, you'll need to be available. which means that sometimes duty calls at night or on the weekends.
- Average Salary: $37,928
- Degree: High School Diploma
States With The Most Dryer Operator Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active dryer operator jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where dryer operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Number Of Dryer Operator Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 1,217 | $40,488 |
| 2 | California | 1,137 | $34,001 |
| 3 | New Jersey | 877 | $39,714 |
| 4 | Ohio | 727 | $34,405 |
| 5 | Georgia | 721 | $30,921 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | 719 | $34,360 |
| 7 | Illinois | 697 | $39,180 |
| 8 | Texas | 666 | $36,914 |
| 9 | Indiana | 640 | $29,450 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 633 | $37,880 |
| 11 | Florida | 550 | $31,046 |
| 12 | Minnesota | 527 | $36,086 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 505 | $33,565 |
| 14 | New York | 414 | $40,197 |
| 15 | Tennessee | 371 | $31,223 |
| 16 | Michigan | 329 | $34,819 |
| 17 | Missouri | 295 | $33,401 |
| 18 | Iowa | 250 | $38,301 |
| 19 | Kentucky | 244 | $32,595 |
| 20 | Virginia | 212 | $38,904 |
| 21 | Arizona | 200 | $42,414 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 200 | $34,060 |
| 23 | Utah | 199 | $32,792 |
| 24 | Washington | 193 | $47,045 |
| 25 | Maryland | 168 | $36,486 |
| 26 | Alabama | 148 | $31,142 |
| 27 | Connecticut | 142 | $47,218 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | 140 | $47,740 |
| 29 | Colorado | 134 | $34,816 |
| 30 | Oregon | 133 | $37,967 |
| 31 | Mississippi | 127 | $29,513 |
| 32 | Kansas | 126 | $37,945 |
| 33 | Nebraska | 121 | $34,684 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | 117 | $47,927 |
| 35 | Arkansas | 99 | $31,654 |
| 36 | Alaska | 96 | $37,286 |
| 37 | Hawaii | 92 | $43,342 |
| 38 | Nevada | 77 | $46,347 |
| 39 | Louisiana | 76 | $35,106 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | 67 | $32,163 |
| 41 | Maine | 66 | $44,624 |
| 42 | Idaho | 60 | $44,962 |
| 43 | South Dakota | 38 | $38,985 |
| 44 | Delaware | 37 | $44,000 |
| 45 | Vermont | 32 | $47,966 |
| 46 | West Virginia | 30 | $33,306 |
| 47 | North Dakota | 24 | $35,116 |
| 48 | New Mexico | 20 | $33,450 |
| 49 | Montana | 12 | $41,013 |
| 50 | Wyoming | 8 | $42,929 |
Top Skills For a Dryer Operator
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 12.8% of dryer operators listed cip on their resume, but soft skills such as physical strength and detail oriented are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Dryer Operator Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Dryer Operator templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Dryer Operator resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Dryer Operator diversity
Dryer Operator Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among dryer operators, 17.1% of them are women, while 82.9% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among dryer operators is White, which makes up 52.6% of all dryer operators.
- The most common foreign language among dryer operators is Spanish at 92.3%.
Online Courses For Dryer Operator That You May Like
1. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)
Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...
2. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.
OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...
3. OSHA Safety Pro: Trenching Excavation & Soil Mechanics
A quick yet detailed certification in OSHA safety with a focus on Trenching, Excavation, & Soil Mechanics...
Best States For a Dryer Operator
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a dryer operator. The best states for people in this position are Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. Dryer operators make the most in Vermont with an average salary of $47,966. Whereas in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, they would average $47,927 and $47,740, respectively. While dryer operators would only make an average of $47,218 in Connecticut, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Rhode Island
$47,740
Avg. Salary
2. New Hampshire
$47,927
Avg. Salary
3. Vermont
$47,966
Avg. Salary
How Do Dryer Operators Rate Their Jobs?
Top Dryer Operator Employers
Most Common Employers For Dryer Operator
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dairy Farmers of America | $45,698 | $21.97 | 11 |
| 2 | Riceland Foods | $45,314 | $21.79 | 13 |
| 3 | California Dairies | $44,535 | $21.41 | 9 |
| 4 | Fresh Express | $43,140 | $20.74 | 20 |
| 5 | Leprino Foods | $42,722 | $20.54 | 8 |
| 6 | Ampi | $42,257 | $20.32 | 8 |
| 7 | McEntire Produce | $40,835 | $19.63 | 12 |
| 8 | Roseburg | $40,708 | $19.57 | 8 |
| 9 | Perrigo | $40,692 | $19.56 | 9 |
| 10 | Georgia-Pacific | $39,534 | $19.01 | 52 |
Dryer Operator Videos
