Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lift operators and mill operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a lift operator and a mill operator. Additionally, a mill operator has an average salary of $39,045, which is higher than the $32,309 average annual salary of a lift operator.
The top three skills for a lift operator include pallets, fork-lift and electric pallet jack. The most important skills for a mill operator are CNC, OSHA, and math.
| Lift Operator | Mill Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,309 | $39,045 |
| Hourly rate | $15.53 | $18.77 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 72,445 | 64,574 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A lift operator is responsible for overseeing the performance of chair lifts in ski resorts and mountains, ensuring the efficiency of the machine and safety of all riders. Aside from controlling operations, they must also assist customers in getting up and off the lifts, remind them of the safety precautions, and ensure that the ride capacity is up to standard. Furthermore, lift operators must make sure that the machine is in good condition and adhere to all the safety regulations and policies at all times.
Mill operators are skilled employees who are responsible for operating and maintaining milling machines that grind materials such as rocks or chemicals at a milling facility. These operators must gather raw materials for production and assist with the inventory of all materials. They must operate a wide variety of equipment such as power saws, sanders, drill press, and basic hand tools while performing regular maintenance and troubleshooting on the milling machines. Mill operators must also attend safety meetings that are held weekly and monthly to ensure machine operators are following safety procedures.
Lift operators and mill operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lift Operator | Mill Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,309 | $39,045 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $31,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | BD | Freeport-McMoRan |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Construction |
There are a few differences between a lift operator and a mill operator in terms of educational background:
| Lift Operator | Mill Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lift operators' and mill operators' demographics:
| Lift Operator | Mill Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 2.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 2.4% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |