Set-up operator vs operator

The differences between set-up operators and operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a set-up operator, becoming an operator takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a set-up operator has an average salary of $39,269, which is higher than the $37,928 average annual salary of an operator.

The top three skills for a set-up operator include calipers, cnc machines and hand tools. The most important skills for an operator are safety procedures, CDL, and emergency calls.

Set-up operator vs operator overview

	Set-Up Operator	Operator
Yearly salary	$39,269	$37,928
Hourly rate	$18.88	$18.23
Growth rate	-8%	7%
Number of jobs	55,670	159,077
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	4

What does a set-up operator do?

A machine set-up operator operates machinery such as grinders, bores, and mills. They prepare machines to be used by organizing tools, setting valve directions, sharpening tools as needed, positioning tools, and conducting regular maintenance.

What does an operator do?

Operators are skilled workers who are in charge of working on an industrial machine or a specific aspect of the manufacturing business. They are trained to operate machines, learning how to use them. They are also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the machine, and they should be able to troubleshoot problems and provide remedies to them. They must be knowledgeable about the different parts of the machine and how to mitigate any challenges that may arise. Operators should be alert, detail-oriented, and familiar with safety and health guidelines.

Set-up operator vs operator salary

Set-up operators and operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Set-Up Operator	Operator
Average salary	$39,269	$37,928
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $53,000	Between $27,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	New York	North Dakota
Best paying company	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	Microsoft
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between set-up operator and operator education

There are a few differences between a set-up operator and an operator in terms of educational background:

	Set-Up Operator	Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Set-up operator vs operator demographics

Here are the differences between set-up operators' and operators' demographics:

	Set-Up Operator	Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%	Male, 73.0% Female, 27.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 6.0% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 16.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.5% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	6%	4%

Differences between set-up operator and operator duties and responsibilities

Set-up operator example responsibilities.

Manage daily scheduling of production workload to be setup and run on machinery.
Use and replacement of drills, taps, broaches, and reamers.
Manufacture parts according to blueprints, work with stainless steel aluminum, brass and plastics.
Machine parts to specifications, using machine tools, such as lathes, milling machines, or grinders.
Use of exact measuring instruments as CMM, optical comparators, mics, bore gauges and many other tools.
Produce parts from different materials such as cold roll steel, stainless steel, no lead brass and regular brass.

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Operator example responsibilities.

Assist in developing the company s short and long term training plans and managing yearly ammunition allocation.
Assist and manage the extrusion process of polyester raw material in pellet or chip form to produce finish rolls of plastic.
Manage day-to-day transportation and logistics services for multinational account base.
Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Job require basic math skills: fractions and decimals.
Ensure safety of all equipment during production in compliance with strict OSHA and safety regulations.

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Set-up operator vs operator skills

Common set-up operator skills

Calipers, 9%
CNC Machines, 7%
Hand Tools, 7%
Math, 6%
Quality Checks, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 6%

Common operator skills

Safety Procedures, 15%
CDL, 6%
Emergency Calls, 6%
Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Quality Checks, 4%
Dozer, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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