Punch operator vs numerical control operator

The differences between punch operators and numerical control 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 punch operator and a numerical control operator. Additionally, a numerical control operator has an average salary of $38,280, 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 numerical control operator are calipers, micrometers, and math.

Punch operator vs numerical control operator overview

	Punch Operator	Numerical Control Operator
Yearly salary	$33,046	$38,280
Hourly rate	$15.89	$18.40
Growth rate	-5%	-8%
Number of jobs	44,679	85,068
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	46	43
Years of experience	2	2

Punch operator vs numerical control operator salary

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

	Punch Operator	Numerical Control Operator
Average salary	$33,046	$38,280
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $44,000	Between $29,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	-	Tualatin, OR
Highest paying state	-	West Virginia
Best paying company	-	BWX Technologies
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between punch operator and numerical control operator education

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

	Punch Operator	Numerical Control Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 51%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Punch operator vs numerical control operator demographics

Here are the differences between punch operators' and numerical control operators' demographics:

	Punch Operator	Numerical Control Operator
Average age	46	43
Gender ratio	Male, 79.2% Female, 20.8%	Male, 89.0% Female, 11.0%
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, 14.7% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	3%	6%

Differences between punch operator and numerical control 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.

Numerical control operator example responsibilities.

Perform trial runs on new CNC programs, working with programming and tooling to achieve satisfactory parts.
Set up and run vertical milling machines and Mori-Seiki lathes
Calculate dimensions and tolerances using knowledge of mathematics and instruments such as micrometers and calipers
Set up and operate machine turning tools (lathes, MAZAK).
Used manual and CNC mills (HAAS), lathes (HAAS) and (OKUMA) and surface grinders.
Mill and lathe g-code programming.

Punch operator vs numerical control operator skills

Common punch operator skills

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

Common numerical control operator skills

Calipers, 12%
Micrometers, 9%
Math, 6%
Lathe Machines, 6%
Hand Tools, 6%
Safety Standards, 4%

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Punch Operator
Punch Operator vs Numerical Control Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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