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Planer operator vs planning analyst

The differences between planer operators and planning analysts 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 planning analyst takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a planning analyst has an average salary of $68,137, 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 planning analyst are project management, customer service, and data analysis.

Planer operator vs planning analyst overview

Planer OperatorPlanning Analyst
Yearly salary$46,309$68,137
Hourly rate$22.26$32.76
Growth rate3%11%
Number of jobs28,74292,380
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4044
Years of experience64

What does a planer operator do?

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.

What does a planning analyst do?

As a planning analyst, you will be responsible for designing and implementing a company's business and marketing strategies with the goal of driving profits and reducing costs. You will propose measures to enhance an organization's overall efficiency, and guide managers on ways to strengthen profit margins through risk awareness reduced costs, and increased revenues. Other duties include conducting risk analyses to identify areas of potential failure, maintaining the business continuity program, and handling internal and external corporate communications with the investment community and industry analysts.

Planer operator vs planning analyst salary

Planer operators and planning analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

Planer OperatorPlanning Analyst
Average salary$46,309$68,137
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $66,000Between $49,000 And $93,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-Rhode Island
Best paying company-Meta
Best paying industry-Automotive

Differences between planer operator and planning analyst education

There are a few differences between a planer operator and a planning analyst in terms of educational background:

Planer OperatorPlanning Analyst
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college-Northwestern University

Planer operator vs planning analyst demographics

Here are the differences between planer operators' and planning analysts' demographics:

Planer OperatorPlanning Analyst
Average age4044
Gender ratioMale, 75.3% Female, 24.7%Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6%
Race ratioBlack 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, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 12.6% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage4%12%

Differences between planer operator and planning analyst duties and responsibilities

Planer operator example responsibilities.

  • Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
  • Perform routine maintenance on planers -grade lumber -perform overall routine building maintenance
  • Establish and maintain the control environment, implementing SOX.
  • Track and report KPI's on a weekly basis providing.
  • Prepare shipping documents, material property and NDT testing reports.
  • Complete $10MM in purchase orders weekly for 20 suppliers and monitor performance by KPI.
  • Show more

Planning analyst example responsibilities.

  • Manage 160 footwear SKUs across 3700 stores to ensure optimal inventory depths during peak time frames.
  • Reduce work in process inventory by use of KANBAN system which also lead to improve customer service.
  • Manage suppliers (KPI's) to deliver target cost, service and quality levels in each operating center.
  • Manage cross-functional team which successfully create a manual for ISO 9000 certification and develop a training program for new hires.
  • Lead monthly and quarterly EAC forecasting and consolidate forecasts in support of corporate financial reporting.
  • Prepare requests for quotes (RFQ) and requests for improvement (RFI) for distribution to existing and potential suppliers.
  • Show more

Planer operator vs planning analyst skills

Common planer operator skills
  • Co-Op, 17%
  • Project Management, 16%
  • Supply Chain, 15%
  • Business Operations, 9%
  • Logistics, 8%
  • Data Analysis, 8%
Common planning analyst skills
  • Project Management, 8%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Logistics, 6%
  • Strong Analytical, 5%
  • SQL, 5%

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