Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between planer operators and process plant 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 process plant operator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a planer operator has an average salary of $46,309, which is higher than the $41,902 average annual salary of a process plant operator.
The top three skills for a planer operator include co-op, project management and supply chain. The most important skills for a process plant operator are plant operations, plant process, and minor maintenance.
| Planer Operator | Process Plant Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $46,309 | $41,902 |
| Hourly rate | $22.26 | $20.15 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -7% |
| Number of jobs | 28,742 | 61,085 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 40 | 47 |
| 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.
Process plant operator positions require skills in forklifts, crushers, and forklift operation, as well as management, trucking, and a plethora of other skills. They must first pass a medical and NRC licensing exam, as well as a plant-operating exam each year, in addition to license renewal applications every six years. They will be called upon to oversee and manage the production process of a manufacturing plant, as well as monitor equipment to ensure quality, efficiency, and safety in said plant.
Planer operators and process plant operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Planer Operator | Process Plant Operator | |
| Average salary | $46,309 | $41,902 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $66,000 | Between $28,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a planer operator and a process plant operator in terms of educational background:
| Planer Operator | Process Plant Operator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between planer operators' and process plant operators' demographics:
| Planer Operator | Process Plant Operator | |
| Average age | 40 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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, 9.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 4.3% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 11% |