Forge operator vs cold header operator

The differences between forge operators and cold header operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cold header operator has an average salary of $62,538, which is higher than the $33,751 average annual salary of a forge operator.

The top three skills for a forge operator include hand tools, safety rules and calipers. The most important skills for a cold header operator are calipers, grinders, and SPC.

Forge operator vs cold header operator overview

	Forge Operator	Cold Header Operator
Yearly salary	$33,751	$62,538
Hourly rate	$16.23	$30.07
Growth rate	7%	-5%
Number of jobs	57,462	25,851
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 67%	High School Diploma, 48%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	-

Forge operator vs cold header operator salary

Forge operators and cold header operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Forge Operator	Cold Header Operator
Average salary	$33,751	$62,538
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $41,000	Between $39,000 And $99,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between forge operator and cold header operator education

There are a few differences between a forge operator and a cold header operator in terms of educational background:

	Forge Operator	Cold Header Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 67%	High School Diploma, 48%
Most common major	Business	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Forge operator vs cold header operator demographics

Here are the differences between forge operators' and cold header operators' demographics:

	Forge Operator	Cold Header Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 93.4% Female, 6.6%	Male, 98.5% Female, 1.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 2.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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%
LGBT Percentage	4%	3%

Differences between forge operator and cold header operator duties and responsibilities

Forge operator example responsibilities.

Perform quality checks using micrometers, calipers and other gauges to assure finish forged stabilizer bars are within specification.
Use cnc operate saws shears lathes and mills to size billet charges.
Operate 5,000 ton press daily, operation are manual or automatic using a CNC numerical screen.
Demonstrate ability to troubleshoot creatively, solve problems effectively, and make inform decisions while successfully guiding others through constant change.
Perform repair and preventive maintenance on machinery including cleaning, oiling and adjusting.

Cold header operator example responsibilities.

Use measuring equipment (calipers, micrometers, etc . )
Enforce QMS compliance fulfilling BSI regulate certification.
Maintain parts to blue-print specifications using micrometers, vernier calipers and measuring gages.
Enforce QMS compliance fulfilling BSI regulate certification.

Forge operator vs cold header operator skills

Common forge operator skills

Hand Tools, 22%
Safety Rules, 16%
Calipers, 12%
Cranes, 8%
Gauges, 7%
CNC, 6%

Common cold header operator skills

Calipers, 62%
Grinders, 19%
SPC, 17%
Formax, 2%

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Transportation Industry
Forge Operator
Forge Operator vs Cold Header Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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