Tow motor operator vs machine operator

The differences between tow motor operators and machine operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a machine operator has an average salary of $32,874, which is higher than the $29,544 average annual salary of a tow motor operator.

The top three skills for a tow motor operator include production lines, safety procedures and pallet jack. The most important skills for a machine operator are basic math, CNC, and math.

Tow motor operator vs machine operator overview

	Tow Motor Operator	Machine Operator
Yearly salary	$29,544	$32,874
Hourly rate	$14.20	$15.80
Growth rate	7%	-6%
Number of jobs	72,291	96,834
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 53%
Average age	43	44
Years of experience	4	-

Tow motor operator vs machine operator salary

Tow motor operators and machine operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Tow Motor Operator	Machine Operator
Average salary	$29,544	$32,874
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $36,000	Between $26,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	-	Minneapolis, MN
Highest paying state	-	Minnesota
Best paying company	-	BD
Best paying industry	-	Automotive

Differences between tow motor operator and machine operator education

There are a few differences between a tow motor operator and a machine operator in terms of educational background:

	Tow Motor Operator	Machine Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 59%	High School Diploma, 53%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Tow motor operator vs machine operator demographics

Here are the differences between tow motor operators' and machine operators' demographics:

	Tow Motor Operator	Machine Operator
Average age	43	44
Gender ratio	Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4%	Male, 72.3% Female, 27.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 1.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	4%	5%

Differences between tow motor operator and machine operator duties and responsibilities

Tow motor operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Fabricate and assemble products using CNC machine by keying in programs numbers and also codes.
Perform specialized production line and quality control duties in a professional production environment specializing in plastic extrusion.
Load and unload items from machines and dollies.

Machine operator example responsibilities.

Conduct preventative maintenance checks on industrial brake manufacturing machines and forklifts.
Follow company and safety procedures using industrial chemicals and PPE to efficiently clean and sanitize all equipment.
Operate forklift and bobcat as needed.
Run a line in a PVC pipe production plant.
Operate machinery including forklift, bobcat and various power tools.
Provide leadership to others through example and sharing of knowledge/skill.

Tow motor operator vs machine operator skills

Common tow motor operator skills

Production Lines, 25%
Safety Procedures, 12%
Pallet Jack, 9%
RF Scanner, 7%
Line Assembly, 5%
Transport Vehicles, 4%

Common machine operator skills

Basic Math, 11%
CNC, 9%
Math, 9%
Safety Procedures, 8%
Machine Operation, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%

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Transportation Industry
Tow Motor Operator
Tow Motor Operator vs Machine Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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