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The differences between packaging associates 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 $31,519 average annual salary of a packaging associate.
The top three skills for a packaging associate include pallets, defective products and basic math. The most important skills for a line operator are preventative maintenance, PPE, and basic math.
| Packaging Associate | Line Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $31,519 | $34,520 |
| Hourly rate | $15.15 | $16.60 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 40,179 | 137,127 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Packaging associates are skilled employees who are responsible for wrapping material around consumer items. This serves to protect and clean products, making them marketable. These associates must perform maintenance on the packaging equipment to ensure that they are running efficiently with minimal downtime. They must inspect completed products for defects and abnormalities to satisfy their customers. Packaging associates must also communicate with technicians and supervisors to rectify problems and ensure that the products are with standards and following their customers' requirements.
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.
Packaging associates and line operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Packaging Associate | Line Operator | |
| Average salary | $31,519 | $34,520 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $39,000 | Between $27,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Grand Forks, ND |
| Highest paying state | Washington | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | PepsiCo | BD |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a packaging associate and a line operator in terms of educational background:
| Packaging Associate | Line Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between packaging associates' and line operators' demographics:
| Packaging Associate | Line Operator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.9% Female, 42.1% | Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 60.4% 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% |