Vertical lathe operator vs turret lathe operator

The differences between vertical lathe operators and turret lathe 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 vertical lathe operator and a turret lathe operator. Additionally, a turret lathe operator has an average salary of $38,904, which is higher than the $37,288 average annual salary of a vertical lathe operator.

The top three skills for a vertical lathe operator include cnc vertical, FANUC and quality checks. The most important skills for a turret lathe operator are pallets, hand tools, and calipers.

Vertical lathe operator vs turret lathe operator overview

	Vertical Lathe Operator	Turret Lathe Operator
Yearly salary	$37,288	$38,904
Hourly rate	$17.93	$18.70
Growth rate	-8%	-8%
Number of jobs	29,497	44,277
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	High School Diploma, 50%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	2	2

Vertical lathe operator vs turret lathe operator salary

Vertical lathe operators and turret lathe operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Vertical Lathe Operator	Turret Lathe Operator
Average salary	$37,288	$38,904
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $47,000	Between $31,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between vertical lathe operator and turret lathe operator education

There are a few differences between a vertical lathe operator and a turret lathe operator in terms of educational background:

	Vertical Lathe Operator	Turret Lathe Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	High School Diploma, 50%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering Technology	Business
Most common college	-	-

Vertical lathe operator vs turret lathe operator demographics

Here are the differences between vertical lathe operators' and turret lathe operators' demographics:

	Vertical Lathe Operator	Turret Lathe Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 92.2% Female, 7.8%	Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 5.4% White, 69.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between vertical lathe operator and turret lathe operator duties and responsibilities

Vertical lathe operator example responsibilities.

Perform trial runs on new CNC programs, working with programming and tooling to achieve satisfactory parts.
Perform inspection duties on CMM as needed.
Perform quality control inspection using calipers/gauges/micrometers and digital comparators.
Conduct maintenance on equipment and setup for large boring machines.
Operate heavy duty lathes, boring machines and mills, planers, shapers and grinders.

Turret lathe operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Maintain SPC and record data to assure the part is within control limits; maintain accurate downtime and production records.
Use of CMM equipment to measure parts with a high degree of accuracy and make offsets to cutting machinery if necessary.
Involve in maintaining continuous improvement in documentation and procedures for ISO certification.
Fulfill production responsibilities to customer while maintaining superior quality using physical gauges and CMM machines.
Create procedures for inspection and documentation of ISO compliant, manufacture components for a laser surgery workstation.

Vertical lathe operator vs turret lathe operator skills

Common vertical lathe operator skills

CNC Vertical, 65%
FANUC, 17%
Quality Checks, 17%

Common turret lathe operator skills

Pallets, 38%
Hand Tools, 15%
Calipers, 15%
Inventory Control, 7%
Load Trucks, 5%
Punch Press, 4%

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Production and Manufacturing Industry
Vertical Lathe Operator
Vertical Lathe Operator vs Turret Lathe Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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