Polishing machine operator vs machine set up operator

The differences between polishing machine operators and machine set up 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 polishing machine operator and a machine set up operator. Additionally, a machine set up operator has an average salary of $35,823, which is higher than the $33,810 average annual salary of a polishing machine operator.

The top three skills for a polishing machine operator include safety policies, grinding wheels and machine operation. The most important skills for a machine set up operator are cnc machines, calipers, and micrometers.

Polishing machine operator vs machine set up operator overview

	Polishing Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Yearly salary	$33,810	$35,823
Hourly rate	$16.25	$17.22
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	58,159	61,986
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Polishing machine operator vs machine set up operator salary

Polishing machine operators and machine set up operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Polishing Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Average salary	$33,810	$35,823
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $43,000	Between $28,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	Holyoke, MA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	ABB
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between polishing machine operator and machine set up operator education

There are a few differences between a polishing machine operator and a machine set up operator in terms of educational background:

	Polishing Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Polishing machine operator vs machine set up operator demographics

Here are the differences between polishing machine operators' and machine set up operators' demographics:

	Polishing Machine Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%	Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between polishing machine operator and machine set up operator duties and responsibilities

Polishing machine operator example responsibilities.

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 set up operator example responsibilities.

Perform trial runs on new CNC programs, working with programming and tooling to achieve satisfactory parts.
Used micrometers and calipers to determine require tolerances.
Follow ISO and QS standard operating procedures.
Panel control, fanuc control, & dynapath.
Run machines after setup, inspect parts run.
Work on CNC OKUMA machines, horizontals and verticals.

Polishing machine operator vs machine set up operator skills

Common polishing machine operator skills

Safety Policies, 41%
Grinding Wheels, 18%
Machine Operation, 16%
Safety Standards, 11%
Stainless Steel, 6%
Load Trucks, 3%

Common machine set up operator skills

CNC Machines, 13%
Calipers, 10%
Micrometers, 9%
CNC Lathes, 6%
Quality Checks, 5%
Math, 5%

Polishing Machine Operator vs. similar jobs

Polishing Machine Operator related careers

Polishing Machine Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Polishing Machine Operator
Polishing Machine Operator vs Machine Set Up Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs