Plastic machine operator vs machine operator

The differences between plastic machine operators and machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a machine operator has an average salary of $32,874, 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 machine operator are basic math, CNC, and math.

Plastic machine operator vs machine operator overview

	Plastic Machine Operator	Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$31,802	$32,874
Hourly rate	$15.29	$15.80
Growth rate	-5%	-6%
Number of jobs	58,108	96,834
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	45	44
Years of experience	-	-

Plastic machine operator vs machine operator salary

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

	Plastic Machine Operator	Machine Operator
Average salary	$31,802	$32,874
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $40,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Vancouver, WA	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	Alaska	Minnesota
Best paying company	Dart Container	BD
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Automotive

Differences between plastic machine operator and machine operator education

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

	Plastic Machine Operator	Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Plastic machine operator vs machine operator demographics

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

	Plastic Machine Operator	Machine Operator
Average age	45	44
Gender ratio	Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9%	Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7%
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, 12.0% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	3%	5%

Differences between plastic machine operator and machine 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.

Machine operator example responsibilities.

Conduct preventative maintenance checks on industrial brake manufacturing machines and forklifts.
Follow company and safety procedures using industrial chemicals and PPE to efficiently clean and sanitize all equipment.
Operate forklift and bobcat as needed.
Run a line in a PVC pipe production plant.
Operate machinery including forklift, bobcat and various power tools.
Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill.

Plastic machine operator vs machine 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 machine operator skills

Basic Math, 11%
CNC, 9%
Math, 9%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Machine Operation, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Plastic Machine Operator
Plastic Machine Operator vs Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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