Picker operator vs mill operator

The differences between picker operators and mill operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a picker operator and a mill operator. Additionally, a mill operator has an average salary of $39,045, which is higher than the $32,899 average annual salary of a picker operator.

The top three skills for a picker operator include pallet jack, pallets and warehouse environment. The most important skills for a mill operator are CNC, OSHA, and math.

Picker operator vs mill operator overview

	Picker Operator	Mill Operator
Yearly salary	$32,899	$39,045
Hourly rate	$15.82	$18.77
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	71,031	64,574
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Picker operator vs mill operator salary

Picker operators and mill operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Picker Operator	Mill Operator
Average salary	$32,899	$39,045
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $38,000	Between $31,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	Plainfield, IN	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	North Dakota	Alaska
Best paying company	Siemens	Freeport-McMoRan
Best paying industry	Transportation	Construction

Differences between picker operator and mill operator education

There are a few differences between a picker operator and a mill operator in terms of educational background:

	Picker Operator	Mill Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Picker operator vs mill operator demographics

Here are the differences between picker operators' and mill operators' demographics:

	Picker Operator	Mill Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 73.6% Female, 26.4%	Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	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%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between picker operator and mill operator duties and responsibilities

Picker operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Work at a CNC machine station and provide accurate input to the machines.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Certify cherry picker operator / pull orders and putaway

Mill operator example responsibilities.

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Perform all work in respirator and other proper PPE.
Skil at training other machinists on CNC machines in this shop.
Assemble parts, operate CNC lathe and mills and adjust off sets.
Perform QC testing on products, filing paperwork per company and ISO standards.
Rebuild Rotex sifters, fabricate and replace screens, replace shoes and anvils in impact mills.

Picker operator vs mill operator skills

Common picker operator skills

Pallet Jack, 35%
Pallets, 15%
Warehouse Environment, 13%
Customer Orders, 12%
OSHA, 5%
Safety Standards, 4%

Common mill operator skills

CNC, 7%
OSHA, 7%
Math, 6%
Calipers, 6%
Hand Tools, 5%
Safety Rules, 5%

Picker Operator vs. similar jobs

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Transportation Industry
Picker Operator
Picker Operator vs Mill Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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