Production worker vs production line worker

The differences between production workers and production line workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production worker has an average salary of $30,847, which is higher than the $28,844 average annual salary of a production line worker.

The top three skills for a production worker include production process, safety procedures and assembly line. The most important skills for a production line worker are assembly line, pallet jack, and safety guidelines.

Production worker vs production line worker overview

	Production Worker	Production Line Worker
Yearly salary	$30,847	$28,844
Hourly rate	$14.83	$13.87
Growth rate	-	-
Number of jobs	136,584	123,921
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 54%
Average age	43	38
Years of experience	-	-

What does a production worker do?

Production workers are employees who are usually seen in an assembly line in a company's factory. They are responsible for a specific part of the production of goods for the company. They ensure that production processes are being followed. Production workers are required to be efficient, detail-oriented, and organized. They should be able to uphold the quality standards set by the company and should be able to conduct quality control checks. Should they be working alongside machines, and they must know how to operate the machine as well as maintain it. Production workers should also be familiar with occupational safety and health guidelines and must be able to follow policies and procedures in place.

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 worker vs production line worker salary

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

	Production Worker	Production Line Worker
Average salary	$30,847	$28,844
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $38,000	Between $23,000 And $35,000
Highest paying City	Tacoma, WA	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	Washington	Washington
Best paying company	BD	Anomatic
Best paying industry	Automotive	Automotive

Differences between production worker and production line worker education

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

	Production Worker	Production Line Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 52%	High School Diploma, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Production worker vs production line worker demographics

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

	Production Worker	Production Line Worker
Average age	43	38
Gender ratio	Male, 56.3% Female, 43.7%	Male, 57.8% Female, 42.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	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	5%	9%

Differences between production worker and production line worker duties and responsibilities

Production worker example responsibilities.

Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
Require to know safe food practices like HACCP, and knowing USDA and FDA guidelines when handling and storing foods.
Use scribers, dividers, and squares to mark dimensions on material.
Produce glace, demi-glace and elite culinary sauces.
Handle parts that run off conveyors and are send for painting.
Operate large grinders, run high heat ovens, inspect and paint parts, packaging.

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 worker vs production line worker skills

Common production worker skills

Production Process, 15%
Safety Procedures, 10%
Assembly Line, 10%
Basic Math, 10%
Quality Standards, 6%
Pallet Jack, 5%

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 Worker vs Production Line Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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