Pharmaceutical operator vs packaging technician

The differences between pharmaceutical operators and packaging technicians 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 $35,973 average annual salary of a packaging technician.

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

Pharmaceutical operator vs packaging technician overview

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Packaging Technician
Yearly salary	$38,260	$35,973
Hourly rate	$18.39	$17.29
Growth rate	-	3%
Number of jobs	54,270	64,859
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	-	-

Pharmaceutical operator vs packaging technician salary

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

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Packaging Technician
Average salary	$38,260	$35,973
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $49,000	Between $28,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Moorhead, MN
Highest paying state	-	Minnesota
Best paying company	-	Dairy Farmers of America
Best paying industry	-	Pharmaceutical

Differences between pharmaceutical operator and packaging technician education

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

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Packaging Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Pharmaceutical operator vs packaging technician demographics

Here are the differences between pharmaceutical operators' and packaging technicians' demographics:

	Pharmaceutical Operator	Packaging Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 66.6% Female, 33.4%	Male, 62.9% Female, 37.1%
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, 11.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 8.4% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between pharmaceutical operator and packaging technician 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.

Packaging technician example responsibilities.

Perform machining, including but not limit to components using mills, lathes and surface grinders to accomplish repairs.
Complete accurate and timely documentation to comply with FDA and GMP regulations
Operate equipment in compliance with company and OSHA standards.
Team member of various over-the-counter lines to prepare package from pill form to truck-ready, with respect to FDA requirements.
Package pharmaceuticals, maintain a sterile environment and ensure OSHA standards, work in the clean room and freezer areas.
Conduct maintenance to material grinders.

Pharmaceutical operator vs packaging technician skills

Common pharmaceutical operator skills

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

Common packaging technician skills

Basic Math, 8%
GMP, 7%
Math, 7%
Preventative Maintenance, 5%
Hand Tools, 5%
Data Entry, 5%

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Pharmaceutical Operator
Pharmaceutical Operator vs Packaging Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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