Punch operator vs furnace operator

The differences between punch operators and furnace operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a furnace operator has an average salary of $35,972, which is higher than the $33,046 average annual salary of a punch operator.

The top three skills for a punch operator include quality checks, calipers and punch machine. The most important skills for a furnace operator are math, basic math, and cranes.

Punch operator vs furnace operator overview

	Punch Operator	Furnace Operator
Yearly salary	$33,046	$35,972
Hourly rate	$15.89	$17.29
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	44,679	58,975
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 55%
Average age	46	44
Years of experience	2	-

Punch operator vs furnace operator salary

Punch operators and furnace operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Punch Operator	Furnace Operator
Average salary	$33,046	$35,972
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $44,000	Between $29,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between punch operator and furnace operator education

There are a few differences between a punch operator and a furnace operator in terms of educational background:

	Punch Operator	Furnace Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Punch operator vs furnace operator demographics

Here are the differences between punch operators' and furnace operators' demographics:

	Punch Operator	Furnace Operator
Average age	46	44
Gender ratio	Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8%	Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4%
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, 10.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 3.6% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	3%	7%

Differences between punch operator and furnace operator duties and responsibilities

Punch operator example responsibilities.

Set up and run cnc amada turret punch presses and sharpen own tooling, and do minor adjustments to program
Operate Amada Apelio, Vipros, EMLK, FOM2 3015NT, FOM2 RI 3015 NT and Trumpf 2030.
Measure thickness of material with calipers and micrometers while sanding to keep material within allowable tolerances.
Dye setting and machine set up.

Furnace operator example responsibilities.

Lead and coordinate team in all aspects of operation in an aluminum blast furnace.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Operate ABB robotic cell by loading parts on fixtures to be weld together.
Maintain safety measures and PPE.
Complete minor touch ups with MIG welders.
Spray arc welding utilizing gas shield MIG.

Punch operator vs furnace operator skills

Common punch operator skills

Quality Checks, 32%
Calipers, 19%
Punch Machine, 16%
CNC, 11%
Punch Press, 7%
ISO, 5%

Common furnace operator skills

Math, 9%
Basic Math, 9%
Cranes, 9%
Preventative Maintenance, 9%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Brazing, 5%