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The differences between packagers and line operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a line operator has an average salary of $34,520, which is higher than the $31,506 average annual salary of a packager.
The top three skills for a packager include basic math, package product and work ethic. The most important skills for a line operator are preventative maintenance, PPE, and basic math.
| Packager | Line Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $31,506 | $34,520 |
| Hourly rate | $15.15 | $16.60 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 3,674 | 137,127 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Packagers are skilled employees who place completed products into containers and prepare them for shipment by weighing and labeling each package. As the final checkpoints between buyer and manufacturer, packagers must ensure that items are in proper working order as well as discard defective items according to company procedures. They must perform quality control and assist team leaders to verify that all quality standards of all products are being maintained. Packagers must also follow the occupational safety and health administration (OSHA) packing guidelines to ensure the safety of workers and the facility.
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.
Packagers and line operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Packager | Line Operator | |
| Average salary | $31,506 | $34,520 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $45,000 | Between $27,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Plymouth, MN | Grand Forks, ND |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | McGuireWoods | BD |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a packager and a line operator in terms of educational background:
| Packager | Line Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 49% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between packagers' and line operators' demographics:
| Packager | Line Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.3% Female, 47.7% | Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 5% | 5% |