Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mill operators and machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mill operator has an average salary of $39,045, which is higher than the $32,874 average annual salary of a machine operator.
The top three skills for a mill operator include CNC, OSHA and math. The most important skills for a machine operator are basic math, CNC, and math.
| Mill Operator | Machine Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $39,045 | $32,874 |
| Hourly rate | $18.77 | $15.80 |
| Growth rate | 7% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 64,574 | 96,834 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
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.
Machine operators are responsible for managing the machines assigned to them. They set up, install, operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and ensure quality output. Machine operators must know the inner workings of the machine such that they can easily address any problems that may arise. They must ensure that all components of the machine are working well. They perform maintenance routine checks to ensure that the machine is working at the most efficient capacity, is well-stocked with needed materials, and producing the best output. Machine operators are also responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and sanitation of the machine.
Mill operators and machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mill Operator | Machine Operator | |
| Average salary | $39,045 | $32,874 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Freeport-McMoRan | BD |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a mill operator and a machine operator in terms of educational background:
| Mill Operator | Machine Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mill operators' and machine operators' demographics:
| Mill Operator | Machine Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5% | Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 4% | 5% |