Heat treater vs furnace operator

The differences between heat treaters and furnace operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a furnace operator has an average salary of $35,972, which is higher than the $34,572 average annual salary of a heat treater.

The top three skills for a heat treater include aerospace, aluminum and hardness testing. The most important skills for a furnace operator are math, basic math, and cranes.

Heat treater vs furnace operator overview

	Heat Treater	Furnace Operator
Yearly salary	$34,572	$35,972
Hourly rate	$16.62	$17.29
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	421	58,975
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 55%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	-	-

Heat treater vs furnace operator salary

Heat treaters and furnace operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Heat Treater	Furnace Operator
Average salary	$34,572	$35,972
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $44,000	Between $29,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between heat treater and furnace operator education

There are a few differences between a heat treater and a furnace operator in terms of educational background:

	Heat Treater	Furnace Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Heat treater vs furnace operator demographics

Here are the differences between heat treaters' and furnace operators' demographics:

	Heat Treater	Furnace Operator
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7%	Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 6.2% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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%
LGBT Percentage	3%	7%

Differences between heat treater and furnace operator duties and responsibilities

Heat treater example responsibilities.

Organize and lead rig up and rig down of equipment.
Conduct quality SPC random spot checks and manage department personnel.
Engineer heat treatments according to print and applicable aerospace and/or customer specifications.
Operate multiple furnaces (pre-temp, high temp and ISO).
Perform duties of aluminum and titanium work.
Operate overhead cranes and run mobile equipment.

Furnace operator example responsibilities.

Lead and coordinate team in all aspects of operation in an aluminum blast furnace.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Operate ABB robotic cell by loading parts on fixtures to be weld together.
Maintain safety measures and PPE.
Complete minor touch ups with MIG welders.
Spray arc welding utilizing gas shield MIG.

Heat treater vs furnace operator skills

Common heat treater skills

Aerospace, 23%
Aluminum, 12%
Hardness Testing, 9%
Anneal, 8%
Hoists, 7%
Production Schedules, 7%

Common furnace operator skills

Math, 9%
Basic Math, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Preventative Maintenance, 9%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Brazing, 5%