Lathe operator vs machine operator

The differences between lathe operators and machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lathe operator has an average salary of $36,280, which is higher than the $32,874 average annual salary of a machine operator.

The top three skills for a lathe operator include cnc lathes, micrometers and manual lathes. The most important skills for a machine operator are basic math, CNC, and math.

Lathe operator vs machine operator overview

	Lathe Operator	Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$36,280	$32,874
Hourly rate	$17.44	$15.80
Growth rate	-5%	-6%
Number of jobs	45,596	96,834
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	46	44
Years of experience	-	-

Lathe operator vs machine operator salary

Lathe operators and machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Lathe Operator	Machine Operator
Average salary	$36,280	$32,874
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $47,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Youngstown, OH	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Ohio	Minnesota
Best paying company	Valmont Industries	BD
Best paying industry	Technology	Automotive

Differences between lathe operator and machine operator education

There are a few differences between a lathe operator and a machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Lathe Operator	Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Lathe operator vs machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between lathe operators' and machine operators' demographics:

	Lathe Operator	Machine Operator
Average age	46	44
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 77.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	5%

Differences between lathe operator and machine operator duties and responsibilities

Lathe operator example responsibilities.

Operate and programme Mazak lathes.
Operate dual side Okuma lathe.
Perform SPC inpections reports for cus to meet monitoring.
Fabricate metal parts using punch press, CNC brake press.
Check parts using CMM, micrometers and other appropriate gauges.
Grind and send dog food into the extrusion for cooking.

Machine operator example responsibilities.

Conduct preventative maintenance checks on industrial brake manufacturing machines and forklifts.
Follow company and safety procedures using industrial chemicals and PPE to efficiently clean and sanitize all equipment.
Operate forklift and bobcat as needed.
Run a line in a PVC pipe production plant.
Operate machinery including forklift, bobcat and various power tools.
Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill.

Lathe operator vs machine operator skills

Common lathe operator skills

CNC Lathes, 11%
Micrometers, 11%
Manual Lathes, 10%
Hand Tools, 9%
Calipers, 8%
Math, 6%

Common machine operator skills

Basic Math, 11%
CNC, 9%
Math, 9%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Machine Operation, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%