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The differences between water jet operators and press brake operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a water jet operator, becoming a press brake operator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a press brake operator has an average salary of $36,359, which is higher than the $35,007 average annual salary of a water jet operator.
The top three skills for a water jet operator include cnc machines, calipers and hand tools. The most important skills for a press brake operator are calipers, tape measure, and math.
| Water Jet Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Yearly salary | $35,007 | $36,359 |
| Hourly rate | $16.83 | $17.48 |
| Growth rate | -7% | -5% |
| Number of jobs | 53,663 | 57,264 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Water jet operators and press brake operators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Water Jet Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Average salary | $35,007 | $36,359 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $43,000 | Between $29,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | - | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | - | Johnson Controls |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a water jet operator and a press brake operator in terms of educational background:
| Water Jet Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | High School Diploma, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Duke University | - |
Here are the differences between water jet operators' and press brake operators' demographics:
| Water Jet Operator | Press Brake Operator | |
| Average age | 47 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 1.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3% | 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 | 5% | 3% |