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The differences between line leaders and line operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line leader has an average salary of $36,217, which is higher than the $34,520 average annual salary of a line operator.
The top three skills for a line leader include continuous improvement, customer service and safety procedures. The most important skills for a line operator are preventative maintenance, PPE, and basic math.
| Line Leader | Line Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $36,217 | $34,520 |
| Hourly rate | $17.41 | $16.60 |
| Growth rate | - | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 130,588 | 137,127 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
Production line leaders or production team leaders typically work in the manufacturing industry. These leaders undertake both mental and physical work, including filing reports and paperwork, helping in order completion, and managing production assembly lines. They physically contain construction materials to ensure correct handling. Also, they oversee the varying activities within the organization or department. Among their tasks include inventory control, data entry, and product quality.
A line operator is responsible for assisting in warehouse and factory operations, usually assigned on doing heavy works for the production. Line operators' duties include operating manufacturing machines and equipment, placing products on the appropriate shelves, checking supplies and inventories, loading orders for shipments, inspecting products for any defects, labeling products accurately, adhering to the safety procedures to prevent product contamination, and observing sanitary regulations. A line operator must have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, as well as the ability to multi-task, especially on meeting deadlines and processing customers' orders.
Line leaders and line operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Line Leader | Line Operator | |
| Average salary | $36,217 | $34,520 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $55,000 | Between $27,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Grand Forks, ND |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | BD |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a line leader and a line operator in terms of educational background:
| Line Leader | Line Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 43% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between line leaders' and line operators' demographics:
| Line Leader | Line Operator | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.0% Female, 43.0% | Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 4.7% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |