Screw machine operator vs lathe operator

The differences between screw machine operators and lathe operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lathe operator has an average salary of $36,280, which is higher than the $36,062 average annual salary of a screw machine operator.

The top three skills for a screw machine operator include screw machines, calipers and hand tools. The most important skills for a lathe operator are cnc lathes, micrometers, and manual lathes.

Screw machine operator vs lathe operator overview

	Screw Machine Operator	Lathe Operator
Yearly salary	$36,062	$36,280
Hourly rate	$17.34	$17.44
Growth rate	-5%	-5%
Number of jobs	57,954	45,596
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 51%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	-	-

Screw machine operator vs lathe operator salary

Screw machine operators and lathe operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Screw Machine Operator	Lathe Operator
Average salary	$36,062	$36,280
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $47,000	Between $27,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Santa Cruz, CA	Youngstown, OH
Highest paying state	California	Ohio
Best paying company	Graco	Valmont Industries
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between screw machine operator and lathe operator education

There are a few differences between a screw machine operator and a lathe operator in terms of educational background:

	Screw Machine Operator	Lathe Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 55%	High School Diploma, 51%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Screw machine operator vs lathe operator demographics

Here are the differences between screw machine operators' and lathe operators' demographics:

	Screw Machine Operator	Lathe Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5%	Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 77.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%	Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 77.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between screw machine operator and lathe operator duties and responsibilities

Screw machine operator example responsibilities.

Verify conformance of production parts to specifications using various measuring instruments including micrometers calipers, dial indicators and other gauges.
Operate CNC screw machinery by performing maintenance and changing of tooling to set-up for different parts.
Train employees proper procedure to run and maintain production standards per blue print and hourly SPC charting.
Change drills, cutting tools, recess tools, and move inserts position for inside and outside diameters using CNC.
Recognize for work done in a sterile environment and utilizing correct safety PPE for surrounding work areas/machinery.
Learned and perform MIG welding.

Lathe operator example responsibilities.

Operate and programme Mazak lathes.
Operate dual side Okuma lathe.
Perform SPC inpections reports for cus to meet monitoring.
Fabricate metal parts using punch press, CNC brake press.
Check parts using CMM, micrometers and other appropriate gauges.
Grind and send dog food into the extrusion for cooking.

Screw machine operator vs lathe operator skills

Common screw machine operator skills

Screw Machines, 21%
Calipers, 18%
Hand Tools, 10%
CNC, 7%
Quality Checks, 7%
Dial Indicators, 4%

Common lathe operator skills

CNC Lathes, 11%
Micrometers, 11%
Manual Lathes, 10%
Hand Tools, 9%
Calipers, 8%
Math, 6%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Screw Machine Operator
Screw Machine Operator vs Lathe Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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