Press brake operator vs machine set up operator

The differences between press brake 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 press brake operator and a machine set up operator. Additionally, a press brake operator has an average salary of $36,359, which is higher than the $35,823 average annual salary of a machine set up operator.

The top three skills for a press brake operator include calipers, tape measure and math. The most important skills for a machine set up operator are cnc machines, calipers, and micrometers.

Press brake operator vs machine set up operator overview

	Press Brake Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Yearly salary	$36,359	$35,823
Hourly rate	$17.48	$17.22
Growth rate	-5%	-8%
Number of jobs	57,264	61,986
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 49%
Average age	46	43
Years of experience	2	2

Press brake operator vs machine set up operator salary

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

	Press Brake Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Average salary	$36,359	$35,823
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $45,000	Between $28,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	Hartford, CT	Holyoke, MA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	California
Best paying company	Johnson Controls	ABB
Best paying industry	Finance	Automotive

Differences between press brake operator and machine set up operator education

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

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

Press brake operator vs machine set up operator demographics

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

	Press Brake Operator	Machine Set Up Operator
Average age	46	43
Gender ratio	Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9%	Male, 86.5% Female, 13.5%
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, 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	3%	6%

Differences between press brake operator and machine set up operator duties and responsibilities

Press brake operator example responsibilities.

Set up machines and troubleshoot.
Set up and run a turret punch
Maintain and ensure proper use of PPE.
Promote from tool operator to dye shop.
Hold tight tolerances and always use your PPE.
Used math skills to produce parts to a specific dimension.

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.

Press brake operator vs machine set up operator skills

Common press brake operator skills

Calipers, 12%
Tape Measure, 9%
Math, 8%
Hand Tools, 7%
Amada, 5%
Safety Procedures, 4%

Common machine set up operator skills

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

Press Brake Operator vs. similar jobs

Press Brake Operator related careers

Press Brake Operator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Press Brake Operator
Press Brake Operator vs Machine Set Up Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs