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The differences between production employees and finisher operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a finisher operator has an average salary of $35,406, which is higher than the $32,872 average annual salary of a production employee.
The top three skills for a production employee include production floor, quality standards and safety standards. The most important skills for a finisher operator are hand tools, math, and quality checks.
| Production Employee | Finisher Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,872 | $35,406 |
| Hourly rate | $15.80 | $17.02 |
| Growth rate | - | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 75,730 | 77,850 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
In a manufacturing setting, a production employee is in charge of assembling and processing products, ensuring efficiency and timelines. Their responsibilities include adhering to guidelines and blueprints, monitoring the products for any defects or inconsistencies, operating machines and equipment, keeping an eye on the assembly line, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. Furthermore, as a production employee, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with co-workers, coordinating every step of the way, and alerting managers should there be any problems.
A finisher operator finalizes a product. They put on the final layer of paint, stitching, engraving or cloth on the product to complete it. They may also restore furniture by fixing dents or discoloration. They are responsible for making sure that their equipment does not malfunction and making minor repairs. They assist in trimming, molding, packing, and transporting the final product, and they are also responsible for final quality control.
Production employees and finisher operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Employee | Finisher Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,872 | $35,406 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $42,000 | Between $28,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cleveland, OH | Horsham, PA |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Steel Dynamics | Elanco |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between a production employee and a finisher operator in terms of educational background:
| Production Employee | Finisher Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between production employees' and finisher operators' demographics:
| Production Employee | Finisher Operator | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.6% Female, 30.4% | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 7.9% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 15.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 2.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 4% |