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The differences between furnace operators and cell operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cell operator has an average salary of $37,866, which is higher than the $35,972 average annual salary of a furnace operator.
The top three skills for a furnace operator include math, basic math and cranes. The most important skills for a cell operator are hand tools, math, and quality standards.
| Furnace Operator | Cell Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $35,972 | $37,866 |
| Hourly rate | $17.29 | $18.20 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 58,975 | 66,532 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 55% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A furnace operator records time and production data, adjusts thermostats, and observes a pyrometer to maintain the temperature between specified limits. The operators set furnace control to regulate the temperature and heating time. They measure the temperature of the products to determine the necessity for adjusting furnace temperature using thermal instruments and charts. Their duties include the removal of materials from the furnace using signals overhead crane operator and transfer it to the next station and open furnace doors. This process will allow them to admit slabs, sheet, plate, and coil to lower ingots and uncover soaking pits into them.
A Cell Operator is someone who handles a production cell in a company or factory. This position ensures that a cell unit of the production functions properly and efficiently. The position also does other miscellaneous tasks related to production, such as inspection, sorting, and other assembly operations, depending on the type of company, business, or manufactured product. This person generally has strong organizational and problem-solving skills and has a knack for troubleshooting.
Furnace operators and cell operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Furnace Operator | Cell Operator | |
| Average salary | $35,972 | $37,866 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $44,000 | Between $31,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, NY | Bothell, WA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | BWX Technologies | Cummins |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a furnace operator and a cell operator in terms of educational background:
| Furnace Operator | Cell Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 55% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between furnace operators' and cell operators' demographics:
| Furnace Operator | Cell Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 68.8% Female, 31.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 7.6% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 5% |