How To Become A Dryer Operator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a dryer operator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a dryer operator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $17.37 an hour? That's $36,131 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 9,100 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreDryer OperatorUS Average

Salary

2.8

Avg. Salary $36,131

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

8.2

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.67%

Asian 8.45%

Black or African American 13.75%

Hispanic or Latino 19.07%

Unknown 4.45%

White 52.61%

Gender

female 17.06%

male 82.94%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress Level

8.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.3

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.1

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a dryer operator

Explore dryer operator education requirements

Most common dryer operator degrees

High School Diploma

52.2 %

Associate

16.7 %

Diploma

12.4 %

Start to develop specific dryer operator skills

Skills	Percentages
CIP	12.77%
GMP	12.69%
Minor Maintenance	7.19%
Safety Rules	7.03%
OSHA	6.70%

Complete relevant dryer operator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New dryer operators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a dryer operator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real dryer operator resumes.

Research dryer operator duties and responsibilities

Manage distillation process to determine product specification compliance, and prepare unit for shutdown or turnaround process.
Involve in cleanup for USDA inspections.
Move to the assembly department building electrical panels, installing electrical panels, installing various electrical devices on new centrifuges.
Comply with OSHA when writing permits, LOTO, confine space, and when following all procedures.

Prepare your dryer operator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your dryer operator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a dryer operator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Dryer Operator Resume templates

Build a professional Dryer Operator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Dryer Operator resume.

Apply for dryer operator jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a dryer operator job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do dryer operators rate their job?