Heading machine operator vs machine set up operator

The differences between heading machine operators and machine set up operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a heading machine operator has an average salary of $38,675, which is higher than the $35,823 average annual salary of a machine set up operator.

The top three skills for a heading machine operator include hand tools, production run and CNC. The most important skills for a machine set up operator are cnc machines, calipers, and micrometers.

Heading machine operator vs machine set up operator overview

	Heading Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Yearly salary	$38,675	$35,823
Hourly rate	$18.59	$17.22
Growth rate	7%	-8%
Number of jobs	59,193	61,986
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	44	43
Years of experience	-	2

Heading machine operator vs machine set up operator salary

Heading machine operators and machine set up operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Heading Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Average salary	$38,675	$35,823
Salary range	Between $12,000 And $121,000	Between $28,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Holyoke, MA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	ABB
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between heading machine operator and machine set up operator education

There are a few differences between a heading machine operator and a machine set up operator in terms of educational background:

	Heading Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Heading machine operator vs machine set up operator demographics

Here are the differences between heading machine operators' and machine set up operators' demographics:

	Heading Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Average age	44	43
Gender ratio	Male, 78.4% Female, 21.6%	Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	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 heading machine operator and machine set up operator duties and responsibilities

Heading machine operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Set up, run and programe CNC machining centers using set up sheets.
Control & troubleshoot automate extrusion line adjusting speed & feed, monitoring temperature, & finish material specification per customers order.
Control & troubleshoot automate extrusion line adjusting speed & feed, monitoring temperature, & finish material specification per customers order.

Machine set up operator example responsibilities.

Perform trial runs on new CNC programs, working with programming and tooling to achieve satisfactory parts.
Used micrometers and calipers to determine require tolerances.
Follow ISO and QS standard operating procedures.
Panel control, fanuc control, & dynapath.
Run machines after setup, inspect parts run.
Work on CNC OKUMA machines, horizontals and verticals.

Heading machine operator vs machine set up operator skills

Common heading machine operator skills

Hand Tools, 31%
Production RUN, 23%
CNC, 20%
Calipers, 14%
RAN, 3%
Embroidery, 2%

Common machine set up operator skills

CNC Machines, 13%
Calipers, 10%
Micrometers, 9%
CNC Lathes, 6%
Quality Checks, 5%
Math, 5%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Heading Machine Operator
Heading Machine Operator vs Machine Set Up Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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