Production assistant vs production line worker

The differences between production assistants and production line workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production assistant has an average salary of $33,405, which is higher than the $28,844 average annual salary of a production line worker.

The top three skills for a production assistant include video production, teleprompter and audio board. The most important skills for a production line worker are assembly line, pallet jack, and safety guidelines.

Production assistant vs production line worker overview

	Production Assistant	Production Line Worker
Yearly salary	$33,405	$28,844
Hourly rate	$16.06	$13.87
Growth rate	-5%	-
Number of jobs	51,905	123,921
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	-	-

What does a production assistant do?

Production assistants are employees in show business, working behind the scenes. They work in film, television, or even theatre sets primarily to provide support. They usually work directly under directors or producers. Production assistants are responsible for ensuring that the day will run smoothly, be it for a television or film shoot or a performance at the theatre. They should be familiar with all the scenes, ensure that the cast and crew are ready, and cue them when it is their time to go on. They should also be able to anticipate needs that may arise and should be able to quickly mitigate any challenges. Production assistants should be flexible and have quick decision-making skills.

What does a production line worker do?

A production worker is responsible for operating equipment and machinery to support the production process with the highest efficiency and maximum operational performance. Production workers regularly inspect the condition of the machinery, reporting any defects and malfunctions which affect the production process for immediate repairs or replacement. They also conduct quality checks for finished products before release to ensure customer satisfaction and avoid any delays on shipment. A production worker must always adhere to safety standards and protocols set by the management to prevent hazards in the production area.

Production assistant vs production line worker salary

Production assistants and production line workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Production Assistant	Production Line Worker
Average salary	$33,405	$28,844
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $44,000	Between $23,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	Bristol, CT	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Washington
Best paying company	National Football League	Anomatic
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Automotive

Differences between production assistant and production line worker education

There are a few differences between a production assistant and a production line worker in terms of educational background:

	Production Assistant	Production Line Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Communication	Business
Most common college	-	-

Production assistant vs production line worker demographics

Here are the differences between production assistants' and production line workers' demographics:

	Production Assistant	Production Line Worker
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 53.4% Female, 46.6%	Male, 57.8% Female, 42.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 6.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 4.5% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between production assistant and production line worker duties and responsibilities

Production assistant example responsibilities.

Manage customer accounts using Quickbooks.
Manage cross-departmental communication and collaboration to increase ESPN viewers.
Manage QA process including test/debug cycles and platform compliance/compatibility testing.
Manage all office aspects including general administrative duties and assisting with staff payroll.
Manage client photography house accounts and submissions, including calculating usage rights and licensing royalty-free and rights-manage images.
Manage and refine the metadata system for a photography database -communicate with customers over e-mail with regards to advertisement proofs

Production line worker example responsibilities.

Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
Inspect food and area to be up to code with FDA.
Build all size windows for different companies.
Wear appropriate PPE for the job being perform.
Maintain sanitized workspaces, remaining compliant with local, state and FDA guidelines.
Train new employees the procedures and protocol of the company and USDA guidelines.

Production assistant vs production line worker skills

Common production assistant skills

Video Production, 18%
Teleprompter, 7%
Audio Board, 7%
Purchase Orders, 4%
Production Equipment, 4%
Photography, 4%

Common production line worker skills

Assembly Line, 22%
Pallet Jack, 12%
Safety Guidelines, 12%
Machine Operators, 7%
Quality Checks, 6%
Safety Procedures, 5%

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Production Assistant vs Production Line Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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