Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between extruder operators and assistant operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assistant operator has an average salary of $37,607, which is higher than the $36,707 average annual salary of an extruder operator.
The top three skills for an extruder operator include extrusion, quality checks and hand tools. The most important skills for an assistant operator are customer service, ladders, and safety procedures.
| Extruder Operator | Assistant Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $36,707 | $37,607 |
| Hourly rate | $17.65 | $18.08 |
| Growth rate | -5% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,729 | 88,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
An extruder operator's work is essential to industries such as automobile parts manufacturing and aerospace machine manufacturing. They control the machines that make and shape thermoplastic materials. They may also be responsible for training new staff to work on these machines. They also do maintenance on their tools, ensure products meet specifications, and create reports for their supervisors.
The duties of an assistant operator depend on one's industry of employment or the kind of machine that they are operating. Typically, their tasks may revolve around coordinating with operators and other staff, handling and managing documents, understanding blueprints, and adhering to the directives of operators and supervisors. Furthermore, as an assistant operator, it is essential to perform support tasks, such as preparing tools and conducting regular maintenance checks to ensure the efficiency of machines and maintain a safe work environment.
Extruder operators and assistant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Extruder Operator | Assistant Operator | |
| Average salary | $36,707 | $37,607 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $45,000 | Between $28,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Woburn, MA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between an extruder operator and an assistant operator in terms of educational background:
| Extruder Operator | Assistant Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between extruder operators' and assistant operators' demographics:
| Extruder Operator | Assistant Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.6% Female, 10.4% | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 3.8% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 6% |