Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between planer operators and lead operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 3-6 months to become a planer operator, becoming a lead operator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a lead operator has an average salary of $88,429, which is higher than the $46,309 average annual salary of a planer operator.
The top three skills for a planer operator include co-op, project management and supply chain. The most important skills for a lead operator are customer service, HR, and process improvement.
| Planer Operator | Lead Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $46,309 | $88,429 |
| Hourly rate | $22.26 | $42.51 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 28,742 | 87,338 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Planner operators are individuals tasked to set up and operate power-fed planer or facer machines to size and surface woodstock used in the production of furniture. The operators turn handwheels to make adjustments to table level, feed rolls, and pressure bars based on stock thickness and cut. They sharpen cutters on stone or abrasive wheel. Their duties may also include operating circular saw for Woodstock defect removal and signaling coworker to stop feeding stock into the planer upon jam occurrence.
Lead operators are responsible for the direction and supervision of the day-to-day activities in facilities. As machine operators, they control machines and take charge of industrial operations. They handle and move objects, monitor processes, and inspect materials, structures, and equipment. Also, they may serve as mentors for the new production employees concerning occupational health and safety. They must be skilled in safety procedures, heavy equipment, preventive maintenance, and other things related to machine operations.
Planer operators and lead operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planer Operator | Lead Operator | |
| Average salary | $46,309 | $88,429 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $66,000 | Between $54,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a planer operator and a lead operator in terms of educational background:
| Planer Operator | Lead Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between planer operators' and lead operators' demographics:
| Planer Operator | Lead Operator | |
| Average age | 40 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 73.5% Female, 26.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 3.4% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 6% |