Plate maker vs blueprint machine operator

The differences between plate makers and blueprint machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a plate maker and a blueprint machine operator. Additionally, a plate maker has an average salary of $40,483, which is higher than the $37,366 average annual salary of a blueprint machine operator.

The top three skills for a plate maker include creo, flexo and quality plates. The most important skills for a blueprint machine operator are RAN, , and .

Plate maker vs blueprint machine operator overview

	Plate Maker	Blueprint Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$40,483	$37,366
Hourly rate	$19.46	$17.96
Growth rate	-	1%
Number of jobs	7,031	53,641
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 39%	High School Diploma, 30%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	4	4

Plate maker vs blueprint machine operator salary

Plate makers and blueprint machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plate Maker	Blueprint Machine Operator
Average salary	$40,483	$37,366
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $72,000	Between $27,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between plate maker and blueprint machine operator education

There are a few differences between a plate maker and a blueprint machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Plate Maker	Blueprint Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 39%	High School Diploma, 30%
Most common major	Graphic Design	Electrical Engineering
Most common college	California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo	University of Texas at Austin

Plate maker vs blueprint machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between plate makers' and blueprint machine operators' demographics:

	Plate Maker	Blueprint Machine Operator
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2%	Male, 86.0% Female, 14.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between plate maker and blueprint machine operator duties and responsibilities

Plate maker example responsibilities.

Operate and maintain laser plate-making equipment such as Creo Trendsetters and Kodak Magnus VLF.
Retain records for ISO audit.
Retrieve files from CTP server.
Set up jobs and run jobs on Autologic platemaker.
Monitor completion of plates for quality control distribution to the pressroom.
Pack lids on production line and make plates on plate-maker for flexo printing.

Blueprint machine operator example responsibilities.

Help make parts for newly purchase CNC lathe and help with set up and a diagnostic check of CNC.
Recognize for work done in a sterile environment and utilizing correct safety PPE for surrounding work areas/machinery.
Perform repair and preventive maintenance on machinery including cleaning, oiling and adjusting.

Plate maker vs blueprint machine operator skills

Common plate maker skills

Creo, 15%
Flexo, 9%
Quality Plates, 9%
Plate Material, 8%
ISO, 7%
Routine Maintenance, 6%

Common blueprint machine operator skills

RAN, 100%

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Plate Maker
Plate Maker vs Blueprint Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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