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The differences between saw operators and press operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a press operator has an average salary of $34,568, 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 operator are quality standards, press machine, and quality checks.
| Saw Operator | Press Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $32,319 | $34,568 |
| Hourly rate | $15.54 | $16.62 |
| Growth rate | 3% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 58,465 | 55,215 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| 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 operator is responsible for the maintenance of printing machines and other equipment to ensure smooth operations while meeting the clients' needs with the highest quality standards. Press operators duties' include performing troubleshooting, replacing defective machine components, upgrading the systems for efficiency, analyzing blueprints and instructional guides, determining product suitability, and inspecting irregularities before and after the use of press machines. Press operators must have a comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry and the ability to work under pressure and strict deadlines.
Saw operators and press operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Saw Operator | Press Operator | |
| Average salary | $32,319 | $34,568 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $38,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, OR | Westfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Micro Metals Inc. | ProAmpac |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a saw operator and a press operator in terms of educational background:
| Saw Operator | Press 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 operators' demographics:
| Saw Operator | Press Operator | |
| Average age | 45 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.2% Female, 9.8% | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% |
| 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% |