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The differences between saw operators and press brake operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a press brake operator has an average salary of $36,359, which is higher than the $32,319 average annual salary of a saw operator.
The top three skills for a saw operator include tape measure, hand tools and basic math. The most important skills for a press brake operator are calipers, tape measure, and math.
| Saw Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,319 | $36,359 |
| Hourly rate | $15.54 | $17.48 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 58,465 | 57,264 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Saw operators are responsible for setting up and operating power saws to slot, cut, and trim metallic and non-metallic materials. They are the ones who choose and install blades on machinery using hand-tools and verify dimensions of finished material using measuring devices. They may perform additional tasks such as loading saws and monitoring sawing operations, and replacing damaged or worn saw blades. Saw operators are also responsible for recording data on production reports and assisting staff with the maintenance and repair of saw equipment.
A press brake is a machine used to manipulate metal into various shapes and forms. Press brake operators manufacture tools, metal, and other pieces of equipment using a press brake to make punches, bends, and cuts into sheet or plate metal. These operators may have their own business, work in a factory setting, or other types of machinery shops.
Saw operators and press brake operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Saw Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,319 | $36,359 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $38,000 | Between $29,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, OR | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Micro Metals Inc. | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Finance |
There are a few differences between a saw operator and a press brake operator in terms of educational background:
| Saw Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between saw operators' and press brake operators' demographics:
| Saw Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 1.1% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 3% |