Lathe set up operator vs laser operator

The differences between lathe set up operators and laser operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lathe set up operator and a laser operator. Additionally, a lathe set up operator has an average salary of $40,481, which is higher than the $34,813 average annual salary of a laser operator.

The top three skills for a lathe set up operator include calipers, FANUC and lathe machines. The most important skills for a laser operator are laser cutting, calipers, and laser machine.

Lathe set up operator vs laser operator overview

	Lathe Set Up Operator	Laser Operator
Yearly salary	$40,481	$34,813
Hourly rate	$19.46	$16.74
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	30,437	56,479
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 42%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Lathe set up operator vs laser operator salary

Lathe set up operators and laser operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Lathe Set Up Operator	Laser Operator
Average salary	$40,481	$34,813
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $55,000	Between $27,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Oregon City, OR
Highest paying state	-	Oregon
Best paying company	-	Kloeckner Metals
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between lathe set up operator and laser operator education

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

	Lathe Set Up Operator	Laser Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 42%
Most common major	Computer Science	Business
Most common college	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	-

Lathe set up operator vs laser operator demographics

Here are the differences between lathe set up operators' and laser operators' demographics:

	Lathe Set Up Operator	Laser Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4%	Male, 82.1% Female, 17.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 68.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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	6%	6%

Differences between lathe set up operator and laser operator duties and responsibilities

Lathe set up operator example responsibilities.

Set up and run CNC lathes with Fanuc controls.
Set up and edit program as needed for Okuma LB35, Mazak lathe machine.
Experience running Haas mills, lathes, and Leadwell CNC lathes.
Experience running Mazak CNC lathe and mills.
Learned and familiarize myself with Mazak machines.
Operate various types of Mori Seiko lathes, and a few Haas verticle mills.

Laser operator example responsibilities.

Calculate requirements, using basic math, geometry.
Follow and comply to GMP, FDA, and ISO regulations
Uphold all ISO and OSHA standards applicable to the responsibilities list above.
Complete SPC charts to track tool capability and hold tight tolerances on small parts.
Used micrometers and protractors to check dimension and angle of part during all job set ups and quality control checks.
Perform quality control inspection using calipers/gauges/micrometers and digital comparators.

Lathe set up operator vs laser operator skills

Common lathe set up operator skills

Calipers, 12%
FANUC, 11%
Lathe Machines, 10%
Okuma, 7%
Aerospace, 7%
G Code, 5%

Common laser operator skills

Laser Cutting, 13%
Calipers, 8%
Laser Machine, 7%
Math, 6%
Hand Tools, 5%
CNC Laser, 4%