Fabrication operator vs press brake operator

The differences between fabrication operators and press brake operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a press brake operator has an average salary of $36,359, 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 press brake operator are calipers, tape measure, and math.

Fabrication operator vs press brake operator overview

	Fabrication Operator	Press Brake Operator
Yearly salary	$31,772	$36,359
Hourly rate	$15.28	$17.48
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	56,825	57,264
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	44	46
Years of experience	-	2

Fabrication operator vs press brake operator salary

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

	Fabrication Operator	Press Brake Operator
Average salary	$31,772	$36,359
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $39,000	Between $29,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	Mankato, MN	Hartford, CT
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Sanmina	Johnson Controls
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between fabrication operator and press brake operator education

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

	Fabrication Operator	Press Brake Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Fabrication operator vs press brake operator demographics

Here are the differences between fabrication operators' and press brake operators' demographics:

	Fabrication Operator	Press Brake Operator
Average age	44	46
Gender ratio	Male, 77.6% Female, 22.4%	Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9%
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, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	3%

Differences between fabrication operator and press brake 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.

Press brake operator example responsibilities.

Set up machines and troubleshoot.
Set up and run a turret punch
Maintain and ensure proper use of PPE.
Promote from tool operator to dye shop.
Hold tight tolerances and always use your PPE.
Used math skills to produce parts to a specific dimension.

Fabrication operator vs press brake operator skills

Common fabrication operator skills

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

Common press brake operator skills

Calipers, 12%
Tape Measure, 9%
Math, 8%
Hand Tools, 7%
Amada, 5%
Safety Procedures, 4%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Fabrication Operator
Fabrication Operator vs Press Brake Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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