Lathe operator vs punch press operator

The differences between lathe operators and punch press operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a punch press operator has an average salary of $37,977, which is higher than the $36,280 average annual salary of a lathe operator.

The top three skills for a lathe operator include cnc lathes, micrometers and manual lathes. The most important skills for a punch press operator are calipers, turret punch press, and micrometers.

Lathe operator vs punch press operator overview

	Lathe Operator	Punch Press Operator
Yearly salary	$36,280	$37,977
Hourly rate	$17.44	$18.26
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	45,596	49,830
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 52%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	-	2

Lathe operator vs punch press operator salary

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

	Lathe Operator	Punch Press Operator
Average salary	$36,280	$37,977
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $47,000	Between $29,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	Youngstown, OH	Brooklyn Park, MN
Highest paying state	Ohio	Minnesota
Best paying company	Valmont Industries	Fortune Brands Home & Security
Best paying industry	Technology	Manufacturing

Differences between lathe operator and punch press operator education

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

	Lathe Operator	Punch Press Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 52%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Lathe operator vs punch press operator demographics

Here are the differences between lathe operators' and punch press operators' demographics:

	Lathe Operator	Punch Press Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3%
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, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	3%

Differences between lathe operator and punch press 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.

Punch press operator example responsibilities.

Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments such as micrometers or veneer calipers.
Die room equipment Gerber profile 408 cnc router table.
Set up and run all aspects of the stamping process
Possess the ability to effectively utilize advance shop math and computer skills.
Operate forklifts, pallet jacks and hoists to move stock and product.
Grind out burrs and sharp edges, using portable grinders, speed lathes, and polishing jacks.

Lathe operator vs punch press operator skills

Common lathe operator skills

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

Common punch press operator skills

Calipers, 14%
Turret Punch Press, 10%
Micrometers, 8%
Math, 7%
Punch Press Machine, 6%
Machine Operation, 5%