Plastic press operator vs molding press operator

The differences between plastic press operators and molding press operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a plastic press operator and a molding press operator. Additionally, a molding press operator has an average salary of $31,705, which is higher than the $30,936 average annual salary of a plastic press operator.

The top three skills for a plastic press operator include hand tools, calipers and quality products. The most important skills for a molding press operator are inspect products, air pressure, and safety procedures.

Plastic press operator vs molding press operator overview

	Plastic Press Operator	Molding Press Operator
Yearly salary	$30,936	$31,705
Hourly rate	$14.87	$15.24
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	40,574	46,023
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	2

Plastic press operator vs molding press operator salary

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

	Plastic Press Operator	Molding Press Operator
Average salary	$30,936	$31,705
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $38,000	Between $26,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between plastic press operator and molding press operator education

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

	Plastic Press Operator	Molding Press Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 47%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Plastic press operator vs molding press operator demographics

Here are the differences between plastic press operators' and molding press operators' demographics:

	Plastic Press Operator	Molding Press Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0%	Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 1.7% White, 71.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between plastic press operator and molding press operator duties and responsibilities

Plastic press operator example responsibilities.

Measure thickness of material with calipers and micrometers while sanding to keep material within allowable tolerances.
Operate an extrusion press which produce aluminum products.

Molding press operator example responsibilities.

Require molding expect rate of part producing and achieving ISO QualityStandards.
Operate CNC and manual machines for the manufacturing of various metal parts.
Research and choose new ASTM testing methods that can be used with the current tools available when present with new projects.
Demonstrate efficient manual dexterity at a rapid and continuous rate.
Build car parts for Honda.
Run molding machine to make mold mud flaps for all Honda vehicles.

Plastic press operator vs molding press operator skills

Common plastic press operator skills

Hand Tools, 37%
Calipers, 31%
Quality Products, 19%
Machine Operation, 8%
Quality Checks, 2%
Press Machine, 1%

Common molding press operator skills

Inspect Products, 17%
Air Pressure, 14%
Safety Procedures, 13%
Quality Checks, 11%
Plastic Injection, 8%
Press Machine, 6%

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Plastic Press Operator
Plastic Press Operator vs Molding Press Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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