Finishing manager vs process operator

The differences between finishing managers and process operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a finishing manager and a process operator. Additionally, a finishing manager has an average salary of $70,117, which is higher than the $37,996 average annual salary of a process operator.

The top three skills for a finishing manager include lean manufacturing, production schedules and direct reports. The most important skills for a process operator are safety procedures, preventative maintenance, and team-oriented environment.

Finishing manager vs process operator overview

	Finishing Manager	Process Operator
Yearly salary	$70,117	$37,996
Hourly rate	$33.71	$18.27
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	10,710	83,478
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

Finishing manager vs process operator salary

Finishing managers and process operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Finishing Manager	Process Operator
Average salary	$70,117	$37,996
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $123,000	Between $29,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Grand Forks, ND
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Wyoming
Best paying company	Levi Strauss & Co.	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Manufacturing

Differences between finishing manager and process operator education

There are a few differences between a finishing manager and a process operator in terms of educational background:

	Finishing Manager	Process Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Finishing manager vs process operator demographics

Here are the differences between finishing managers' and process operators' demographics:

	Finishing Manager	Process Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1%	Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.9% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 4.5% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between finishing manager and process operator duties and responsibilities

Finishing manager example responsibilities.

Attain facility commissioning after a successful FDA audit.
Pace manufactures aluminum die-cast parts for barbecue grills, cars and many other products.
Update part counts in the AS400 system as parts move through their specific process.
Work in a manufacturing environment, which produces aluminum coil sheet make to customer specs.
Used various power tools; drill press, routers, table see planers, round sanders and jitter bugs.
Create and implement lot number production on finish good cartons immediately without impacting customer delivery to be GMP compliant.

Process operator example responsibilities.

Manage distillation process to determine product specification compliance, and prepare unit for shutdown or turnaround process.
Climb ladders to inspect manholes, check temps, sometimes gather samples for lab analysis.
Demonstrate ability to perform basic math (add, subtract, multiply, divide, ratios, weights & measures).
Control product temperatures and monitor gauges.
Review FHA files for completeness and compliance.
Use of ladders, stairs, heavy lifting and temperature extremes.

Finishing manager vs process operator skills

Common finishing manager skills

Lean Manufacturing, 13%
Production Schedules, 9%
Direct Reports, 8%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Customer Complaints, 8%
ISO, 6%

Common process operator skills

Safety Procedures, 8%
Preventative Maintenance, 7%
Team-Oriented Environment, 7%
Ladders, 5%
Customer Service, 4%
Data Entry, 4%