Set-up operator vs punch press operator

The differences between set-up operators and punch press 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 set-up operator and a punch press operator. Additionally, a set-up operator has an average salary of $39,269, which is higher than the $37,977 average annual salary of a punch press operator.

The top three skills for a set-up operator include calipers, cnc machines and hand tools. The most important skills for a punch press operator are calipers, turret punch press, and micrometers.

Set-up operator vs punch press operator overview

	Set-Up Operator	Punch Press Operator
Yearly salary	$39,269	$37,977
Hourly rate	$18.88	$18.26
Growth rate	-8%	-5%
Number of jobs	55,670	49,830
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 52%
Average age	43	46
Years of experience	2	2

Set-up operator vs punch press operator salary

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

	Set-Up Operator	Punch Press Operator
Average salary	$39,269	$37,977
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $53,000	Between $29,000 And $48,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	Brooklyn Park, MN
Highest paying state	New York	Minnesota
Best paying company	Schneider Electric Industrial Services	Fortune Brands Home & Security
Best paying industry	Automotive	Manufacturing

Differences between set-up operator and punch press operator education

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

	Set-Up Operator	Punch Press Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 44%	High School Diploma, 52%
Most common major	Business	General Studies
Most common college	-	-

Set-up operator vs punch press operator demographics

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

	Set-Up Operator	Punch Press Operator
Average age	43	46
Gender ratio	Male, 85.6% Female, 14.4%	Male, 80.7% Female, 19.3%
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, 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%

Differences between set-up operator and punch press 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.

Punch press operator example responsibilities.

Calculate dimensions or tolerances, using instruments such as micrometers or veneer calipers.
Die room equipment Gerber profile 408 cnc router table.
Set up and run all aspects of the stamping process
Possess the ability to effectively utilize advance shop math and computer skills.
Operate forklifts, pallet jacks and hoists to move stock and product.
Grind out burrs and sharp edges, using portable grinders, speed lathes, and polishing jacks.

Set-up operator vs punch press operator skills

Common set-up operator skills

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

Common punch press operator skills

Calipers, 14%
Turret Punch Press, 10%
Micrometers, 8%
Math, 7%
Punch Press Machine, 6%
Machine Operation, 5%