Fabrication operator vs laser operator

The differences between fabrication operators and laser operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a laser operator has an average salary of $34,813, which is higher than the $31,772 average annual salary of a fabrication operator.

The top three skills for a fabrication operator include tape measure, hand tools and calipers. The most important skills for a laser operator are laser cutting, calipers, and laser machine.

Fabrication operator vs laser operator overview

	Fabrication Operator	Laser Operator
Yearly salary	$31,772	$34,813
Hourly rate	$15.28	$16.74
Growth rate	-5%	-8%
Number of jobs	56,825	56,479
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	44	43
Years of experience	-	2

Fabrication operator vs laser operator salary

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

	Fabrication Operator	Laser Operator
Average salary	$31,772	$34,813
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $39,000	Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Mankato, MN	Oregon City, OR
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Oregon
Best paying company	Sanmina	Kloeckner Metals
Best paying industry	Technology	Technology

Differences between fabrication operator and laser operator education

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

	Fabrication Operator	Laser Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fabrication operator vs laser operator demographics

Here are the differences between fabrication operators' and laser operators' demographics:

	Fabrication Operator	Laser Operator
Average age	44	43
Gender ratio	Male, 77.6% Female, 22.4%	Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 9.4% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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	5%	6%

Differences between fabrication operator and laser operator duties and responsibilities

Fabrication operator example responsibilities.

Coordinate with engineers and supervisor for setting up Amada press brake, forming sheet metal chassis and parts for productions.
Operate any coil fabrication machine producing aluminum coils.
Monitor, control and operate computerized wafer equipment for the inspection, etching or alignment of integrate circuits.
Perform duties in accordance with GMP principles.
Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.

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.

Fabrication operator vs laser operator skills

Common fabrication operator skills

Tape Measure, 12%
Hand Tools, 9%
Calipers, 7%
Grinders, 6%
MIG, 5%
Customer Satisfaction, 4%

Common laser operator skills

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