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The differences between planer operators and 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 an operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a planer operator has an average salary of $46,309, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.
The top three skills for a planer operator include co-op, project management and supply chain. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.
| Planer Operator | Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $46,309 | $37,928 |
| Hourly rate | $22.26 | $18.23 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 28,742 | 159,077 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.
Planer operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planer Operator | Operator | |
| Average salary | $46,309 | $37,928 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $66,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | - | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a planer operator and an operator in terms of educational background:
| Planer Operator | Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between planer operators' and operators' demographics:
| Planer Operator | Operator | |
| Average age | 40 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0% |
| 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, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |