Plastic machine operator vs furnace operator

The differences between plastic machine operators and furnace operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a furnace operator has an average salary of $35,972, which is higher than the $31,802 average annual salary of a plastic machine operator.

The top three skills for a plastic machine operator include quality checks, CNC and provide technical assistance. The most important skills for a furnace operator are math, basic math, and cranes.

Plastic machine operator vs furnace operator overview

	Plastic Machine Operator	Furnace Operator
Yearly salary	$31,802	$35,972
Hourly rate	$15.29	$17.29
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	58,108	58,975
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 55%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	-	-

Plastic machine operator vs furnace operator salary

Plastic machine operators and furnace operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plastic Machine Operator	Furnace Operator
Average salary	$31,802	$35,972
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $29,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Dart Container	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Technology

Differences between plastic machine operator and furnace operator education

There are a few differences between a plastic machine operator and a furnace operator in terms of educational background:

	Plastic Machine Operator	Furnace Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Plastic machine operator vs furnace operator demographics

Here are the differences between plastic machine operators' and furnace operators' demographics:

	Plastic Machine Operator	Furnace Operator
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9%	Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.9% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	3%	7%

Differences between plastic machine operator and furnace operator duties and responsibilities

Plastic machine operator example responsibilities.

Assist in color die changes for use in maintaining plastic extrusion machines.
Operate pallet jacks and heavy machinery assembling bolts and nuts into car parts for Honda.
Record statistics on ISO documentation, and coordinate with machine technicians and electrical technicians to keep machines operating at maximum efficiency.
Participate in technical support and assist validation and QA department during equipment validation.

Furnace operator example responsibilities.

Lead and coordinate team in all aspects of operation in an aluminum blast furnace.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Operate ABB robotic cell by loading parts on fixtures to be weld together.
Maintain safety measures and PPE.
Complete minor touch ups with MIG welders.
Spray arc welding utilizing gas shield MIG.

Plastic machine operator vs furnace operator skills

Common plastic machine operator skills

Quality Checks, 19%
CNC, 12%
Provide Technical Assistance, 11%
Mold Components, 9%
Lean Manufacturing, 8%
Safety Procedures, 6%

Common furnace operator skills

Math, 9%
Basic Math, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Preventative Maintenance, 9%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Brazing, 5%

Plastic Machine Operator vs. similar jobs

Plastic Machine Operator related careers

Plastic Machine Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Plastic Machine Operator
Plastic Machine Operator vs Furnace Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs