Pharmaceutical operator vs machine operator

The differences between pharmaceutical operators and machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pharmaceutical operator has an average salary of $38,260, which is higher than the $32,874 average annual salary of a machine operator.

The top three skills for a pharmaceutical operator include FDA, GMP and safety procedures. The most important skills for a machine operator are basic math, CNC, and math.

Pharmaceutical operator vs machine operator overview

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$38,260	$32,874
Hourly rate	$18.39	$15.80
Growth rate	-	-6%
Number of jobs	54,270	96,834
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	-	-

Pharmaceutical operator vs machine operator salary

Pharmaceutical operators and machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Machine Operator
Average salary	$38,260	$32,874
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $49,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	-	Minnesota
Best paying company	-	BD
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between pharmaceutical operator and machine operator education

There are a few differences between a pharmaceutical operator and a machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Machine Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Pharmaceutical operator vs machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between pharmaceutical operators' and machine operators' demographics:

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Machine Operator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4%	Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 27.2% Asian, 6.3% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	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	5%	5%

Differences between pharmaceutical operator and machine operator duties and responsibilities

Pharmaceutical operator example responsibilities.

Manage the receipt and tracking of control substances as well as the DEA biennial inspection.
Perform a variety of highly skil manufacturing tasks involving the processing of pharmaceutical products in a GMP control facility.
Request QA approvals and releases.
Comply with safety by wearing appropriate PPE.
Partner with in-house workers on PLC issues relate to machinery.
Compress various pharmaceutical granulations into tablets meeting all FDA specifications.

Machine operator example responsibilities.

Conduct preventative maintenance checks on industrial brake manufacturing machines and forklifts.
Follow company and safety procedures using industrial chemicals and PPE to efficiently clean and sanitize all equipment.
Operate forklift and bobcat as needed.
Run a line in a PVC pipe production plant.
Operate machinery including forklift, bobcat and various power tools.
Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill.

Pharmaceutical operator vs machine operator skills

Common pharmaceutical operator skills

FDA, 25%
GMP, 20%
Safety Procedures, 9%
Line Clearance, 6%
Pharmaceutical Products, 6%
QA, 5%

Common machine operator skills

Basic Math, 11%
CNC, 9%
Math, 9%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Machine Operation, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Pharmaceutical Operator
Pharmaceutical Operator vs Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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